Knee decisions — 2026

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, bipolar disorder II, and alcohol abuse disorder, are not service-connected as they did not onset during service or due to a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's low back pain is not service-connected as it did not onset during service or due to a service-connected condition. The claim for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied as there were no secondary service connection issues addressed.,The Veteran's right knee disorder, which includes meniscal tear with joint osteoarthritis and instability, is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and increased ratings are denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU is granted with an effective date of February 2, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is being remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence.,Service connection has been granted for tinnitus, with the condition presumed related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals due to untimely filing of the appeal requests, as they were received more than one year after the rating decisions.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including patellofemoral syndrome and meniscal disorder, is rated at 30 percent effective December 4, 2018.

The Veteran's service connection for sinusitis is granted. The issues of increased rating for right knee strain and chronic rhinitis are remanded.

The Veteran's cervical strain is directly related to his military service. His HTN, CKD, GERD, left and right leg varicose veins, OSA, and right knee arthritis are all secondary to his service-connected disabilities, with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability, finding that it was aggravated beyond its natural progression during military service.

The Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error in the initial decision and has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an updated medical opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for heart disease, hypertension, bilateral foot disability (including plantar fasciitis and pes planus), right knee pain, right shoulder pain, sciatica, and sleep disorder due to a deficiency in the record prior to the decision on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is related to his service, but additional medical opinions are needed to address whether post-service employment constitutes unrelated intervening factors.

The Veteran's left knee disability and instability are rated at 20 percent for the entire appeal period, with a separate rating of 10 percent for instability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his left knee condition and its onset during service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee PFPS, finding that the Veteran's symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for pes planus, low back condition, right hip condition, and bilateral knee condition due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran must undergo additional examinations or obtain supplemental medical opinions.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for residuals of left knee replacement and entitlement to TDIU from August 1, 2016 to October 27, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and a left kidney disability due to inadequate medical examinations in the past, and because of a duty to assist error regarding private treatment records. The Veteran will need to provide information about his private treatment and VA will obtain these records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right ankle, knee, and lower leg scars have been granted as they are considered to be directly related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including a reduction in cervical strain rating and claims for right knee strain, psychiatric disorder, metatarsalgia of the left foot, and TDIU. The AOJ is instructed to consider any additional evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's initial ratings for service-connected nonspecific headaches and tinnitus were denied, while the VA remanded several other claims.,For the left knee disability and right knee disability, the VA found that more than a certain percentage rating was warranted but remanded to clarify examination findings.