Knee decisions — 2026

The Board has determined that the AOJ's decision to disenroll the Veteran from the PCAFC program was not supported by adequate and sufficient evidence, and thus remanded for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's appeal concerning the issues of entitlement to service connection for left knee osteoarthritis and right knee osteoarthritis has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee disabilities due to new evidence and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. The claims for service connection for left and right ear disabilities, to include hearing loss, were denied.

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial disability ratings for his service-connected left knee osteoarthritis, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 60 percent, which is the maximum rating allowed. The Board also granted service connection for a back disability but denied TDIU based on lack of evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU. The remaining issues related to his knee conditions and PTSD are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for right knee strain, left knee strain with arthritis and recurrent instability, and left knee limitation of extension with arthritis due to inadequate examination findings and failure to address medication effects.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to May 31, 2019 for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected conditions not meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient consideration of the ameliorative effects of medications on his service-connected disabilities, specifically lumbar spine and bilateral knee conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a dislocated right 5th finger. The low back, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right knee conditions are remanded due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinions.

The Veteran's combined effects of service-connected left knee disabilities, right knee disabilities and hypertension rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment for the appeal period prior to December 1, 2018.

The Veteran's right knee instability and retropatellar pain syndrome, as well as her left knee instability and retropatellar pain syndrome, have been granted initial ratings of 30 percent each. The appeals for higher ratings were denied.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, and cervical spine disabilities as they are not related to the Veteran's service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's right knee condition is rated at 30 percent for the period beginning February 2, 2024. The rating was denied as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left knee disability is at least as likely as not related to his service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance is granted since May 28, 2015. From September 20, 2017 to November 25, 2020, the Veteran qualifies for a higher level of SMC at the (m) level due to his PTSD rating. As of November 25, 2020, he is eligible for an additional intermediate rate increase to the (m 1/2) level.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities prior to December 1, 2022. The evidence did not support a finding that his current left knee disability was related to military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral foot, right knee, left knee, fracture - left hip / femur, and back disorders due to insufficient evidence establishing a nexus to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased disability evaluation for his right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to provide adequate reasons and bases in the January 2022 decision. The case is now pending again with a request for another VA examination.