The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.
The deciding factor: The claim was denied as a matter of law based on the Veteran's failure to attend the required VA examination without good cause, in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 3.655(b).
- Claimed conditions
- left knee degenerative joint disease, status post anterior cruciate ligament and medical collateral ligament repair, right knee chondromalacia patella with degenerative changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2025
- Citation
- 25007923
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and denied increased ratings for various disabilities, but granted a separate rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy from October 20, 2020.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, bilateral achilles tendonitis, gout, diabetes mellitus, type 2 (DMII), obstructive sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and depression. The Board denied increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative joint disease, separate ratings for instability of the knees, a separate rating for residuals of a right knee meniscectomy, and service connection for bilateral leg pain, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic sinus disability, respiratory disability due to exposure to asbestos, heart murmur, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and SMC based on loss of use of the bilateral lower extremities.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing disorder, dry eye disorder, and urinary disorder. Tinnitus was granted, but the Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee degenerative joint disease with instability, right shoulder bicipital tendonitis, and left shoulder bicipital tendonitis do not warrant increased ratings.
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