The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection of right knee patellar instability, finding that the evidence did not establish the presence of the condition prior to February 7, 2021.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's right knee patellar instability was first shown in a VA examination on April 30, 2021, and thus an earlier effective date is not warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee patellar instability, right knee ligament tear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25035293
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 service connection for right wrist, left wrist, right hip, left hip, and right ankle disabilities but granted service connection for right knee and left knee patellar instability. The claims for a right shoulder, right elbow, and left elbow disability were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot condition and denied increased ratings for various conditions, but granted an initial 10 percent rating for a pilonidal cyst scar from March 7, 2024 and granted TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded for additional development, including the upload of medical records from Riverside Mathews Medical Center.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded for additional development, including the upload of records from Riverside Mathews Medical Center and assistance in obtaining records from Riverside Health System.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.