Knee decisions — 2026

The Veteran's left foot lateral plantar fasciitis is granted as secondary to service-connected left foot hallux valgus. The issues of entitlement to a feet condition (bilateral), left knee condition, right knee condition, and right hand condition (to include thumb and fingers) are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee disability, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, and acute sinusitis s/p septoplasty due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for left knee bursitis is remanded due to inadequate prior examinations and the need for a new one with proper range of motion testing.

The Veteran's dizziness is associated with his diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension. The Board denied service connection for dizzy spells.,There is no current diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy in the Veteran's medical records. The Board denied service connection for diabetic neuropathy.,The Veteran failed to report for a necessary examination without good cause. The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD).,The evidence does not establish that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD. The Board denied service connection for PTSD.,There is no current diagnosis of vision in the Veteran's medical records. The Board denied service connection for vision.

The Veteran's right knee instability and left knee disability have been granted service connection, resulting in a separate 10 percent rating for the right knee. Additionally, the Veteran has been granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his bilateral knee conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal of his service connection claims, finding that the appeal was untimely and no good cause for extension was provided.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for entitlement to service connection for right knee pain and lower back pain due to insufficient medical evidence on file.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right knee condition was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD). The NOD was not filed within one year following the November 2006 rating decision denying the claim.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection for left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's left wrist disorder is granted service connection and assigned a 20% rating.,His neck disability is granted with an initial 20% rating, but no higher.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a sleep disorder, back disability, and left knee disability. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the left knee condition from September 23, 2014. The right knee condition remains remanded due to lack of an examination report.

The Board has granted secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the combined service-connected disabilities caused obesity, which in turn led to the development of obstructive sleep apnea. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to his current condition and concluding that any osteoarthritis he has is not etiologically linked to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for left leg below the knee amputation and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for this condition, finding that VA's treatment was appropriate and timely.

The Veteran withdrew all his claims on appeal, including the ratings for cervical spine and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities and TDIU.

The Board has restored a 50 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected left knee strain with osteoarthritis from July 9, 2021. The reduction to 10 percent in August 2024 was improper due to inadequate examination findings and functional limitations.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left total knee replacement claim was denied as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned, and the hemorrhoids claim was denied due to no new evidence warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to need regular aid and attendance of another person, resulting in the grant of SMC at the A&A rate. The question of entitlement to SMC on account of being housebound is moot due to the grant of SMC based on A&A.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.