Knee decisions — 2026

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for scar, status post right elbow surgery is denied.,Initial ratings in excess of 10 percent and a compensable rating for painful motion of the right knee are also denied. The Veteran's initial compensable rating for his right knee condition is denied.

The Veteran's left knee strain/instability is characterized by mild instability with medication use and use of an assistive device. The Board granted a rating of 20 percent for the condition, which requires consistent use of a cane or surgical intervention.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee conditions, diabetes mellitus type II, and sleep apnea due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's right shoulder strain and left knee degenerative arthritis were not incurred during service, but the Veteran's gout was found to have begun during service.,Chronic kidney disease is denied as there is no direct evidence linking it to service.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder is granted an initial rating of 50 percent, but no higher. The left knee disability appeal is remanded for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disability. The remaining claims of service connection for various disabilities are remanded due to procedural errors.

The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective dates and a motion to revise rating decisions on the basis of clear and unmistakable error are dismissed due to procedural errors.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee osteoarthritis with limited flexion post repair were denied as he did not submit a claim within one year of the most recent rating decision, and thus is not entitled to an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's appeal of the award of an earlier effective date for tinnitus has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for increased disability evaluations for his low back injury, right knee injury, left knee injury, left ankle injury, and bilateral hearing loss have all been dismissed as the appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran through his representative.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for increased ratings for bilateral knee disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding medication effects on symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder disabilities, bilateral ankle disabilities, bilateral knee disabilities, and a thoracolumbar spine disability. Service connection was granted for hypertension.

All claims for service connection related to lumbosacral strain, left knee condition, right knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right hand condition, left hand condition, athlete's foot/tinea pedis, right shin splints, left shin splints, erectile dysfunction, alopecia areata (hair loss), and acne have been dismissed due to lack of timely appeal. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for these conditions.

All claims for service connection related to lumbosacral strain, left knee condition, right knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right hand condition, left hand condition, athlete's foot/tinea pedis, right shin splints, left shin splints, erectile dysfunction, alopecia areata (hair loss), and acne have been dismissed due to lack of timely appeal. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral knee disability, finding that it had its onset during his active duty and is related to his military service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection on the grounds that they were not timely filed, as required by VA regulations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that any current condition did not manifest within one year of separation from service. The Board also found that the Veteran's symptoms are more likely related to a post-service incident.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection of left and right knee conditions due to inadequate medical opinions and a duty to assist error.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected chronic adjustment disorder, residuals of foot injury with inability to flex toes, right knee injury with laxity, and residuals right hand injury including flexion deformities fourth and fifth digits. The Board found that these service-connected conditions caused or aggravated the Veteran's obesity, which in turn caused his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his spine and lower extremity neuropathies, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 3, 2020.

The Board has remanded the claims for left shoulder degenerative arthritis and right knee strain due to errors in fulfilling the duty to assist. Additional medical records are needed, including those from Geisinger Orthopedics and Dr. Rasheed. The appellant also needs new examinations to assess the severity of his disabilities.