Knee decisions — 2026

The Board has restored the 20% disability rating for the Veteran's left knee arthritis from August 1, 2024 to September 11, 2024 as the reduction was not based on actual improvement in her ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to his service-connected lumbar strain and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to obtain post-service medical records from June 2024.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits are granted effective August 23, 2017, as this is the earliest date his disabilities meet the criteria for a total disability rating.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been dismissed as the Veteran is satisfied with the current rating and effective date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is etiologically related to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for moderate chronic bilateral dry eye syndrome and a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee degenerative arthritis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings, but also noted errors in obtaining relevant private treatment records and remanded to obtain these records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete information. The appeals will be reconsidered with new evidence and opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and increased ratings for his right knee disabilities due to incomplete ligament tear, instability, limitation of flexion, frequent episodes of locking, and shortening of the right lower extremity.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the inadequacy of the July 2020 VA examination. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the bilateral knee disability rating claims.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected bilateral knees degenerative joint disease and status-post arthroscopy with residual pain are remanded due to inadequate pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left knee, right shoulder, and right ankle disabilities are rated at their current levels, while OSA was not found to be related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of November 29, 2023, for the award of Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), finding that it was factually ascertainable that the Veteran became unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment as of January 16, 2021. The effective date is set at November 29, 2023.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of insomnia disorder and TDIU eligibility was granted. The claim for increased ratings for her bilateral knee conditions, thoracolumbar spine condition, and left hip condition is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 9, 2013, for the grant of service connection for a left knee strain is denied. The case is remanded due to deficiencies in the VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of a back disorder as it is based on an expressly prohibited concurrent election. Service connection for right and left knee arthritis is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable evaluations for right knee scars and residuals of right knee injury post-operative arthroscopy, extension have been dismissed. The appeal for an increased rating for PTSD has also been dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew all his pending appeals, including those for a higher rating for adjustment disorder and service connection for hearing loss and bilateral knees. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's bilateral hip and knee conditions, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, and plantar fasciitis, pes planus, and hammer toes are all granted service connection as they are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral flatfoot, irritable bowel syndrome, left knee hyperextension, and testicle torsion due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.