The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for left ankle scars, service connection for left wrist disability, and service connection for insomnia due to prescribed medications have been withdrawn. The claim for a separate 20 percent rating for left knee instability is granted. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome remains denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his claims for the compensable rating for left ankle scars, service connection for left wrist disability, and service connection for insomnia due to prescribed medications during the February 2025 Board hearing. The claim for a separate 20 percent rating for left knee instability is granted based on objective medical evidence indicating persistent instability requiring assistive devices.
- Claimed conditions
- Left ankle scars, Left wrist disability, Insomnia due to prescribed medications, Left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, Left knee instability, Lumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 19, 2026
- Citation
- A26024921
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26024921.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and will consider new evidence submitted by the Veteran.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was denied because the disability is not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was denied because the disability was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) was denied because there is no evidence of loss of consciousness or memory impairment following the motor vehicle accident during service, and post-service VA treatment records do not show a diagnosis of TBI.
- Granted
The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from August 6, 2008 due to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.
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