BVA decisions by condition
Knee conditions: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a knee issue in 92,362 decisions. It granted the knee issue in 19.1% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 31.8%, and remanded it in 53.8%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 37.5% were granted.
From Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions: appeals, not VA's first decisions. Issue-level outcomes.
Decisions
92,362
2017–2026
Granted
19.1%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
37.5%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
53.8%
Denied: 31.8%
At a glance
Evidence in granted and denied knee decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the knee issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 11,801 | 70.8% | 30.1% | +40.7 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 9,106 | 58.5% | 33.7% | +24.9 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 4,073 | 58.2% | 36.1% | +22.1 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 24,701 | 48.8% | 31.9% | +16.9 pts |
| Buddy statement | 2,922 | 51.3% | 37.0% | +14.3 pts |
| Combat service | 4,322 | 49.2% | 36.9% | +12.4 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 14,374 | 47.7% | 36.2% | +11.5 pts |
| Lay statement | 75,911 | 37.1% | 40.2% | −3.1 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 66.7% of the decisions that granted knee.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 40.2% of grants and 14.8% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often knee was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 41,751 | 36.6% | 38.3% | −1.7 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 68,201 | 36.2% | 43.7% | −7.5 pts |
Recent knee decisions
Granted
No dispute of current disability.; Credible lay statements regarding in-service knee use.; Probative private medical opinion provided positive nexus.
Favorable finding from April 2025 VA examination regarding current disability.; Competent and credible lay evidence of symptom onset during service and continuity of symptoms.; Inadequate VA opinion due to failure to consider lay evidence and progression of severe arthritis.; Reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran due to equipoise in evidence.
Lay statements consistent with service; STRs show complaint of ankle pain; Benefit of the doubt applied
Denied
No in-service treatment or complaints of knee symptoms documented in STRs.; Veteran expressly denied knee symptoms in 1991 service medical history.; Post-service diagnosis of degenerative changes and tendonitis not linked to service.; VA examinations consistently found conditions not related to service.; Veteran's claims of in-service symptoms found not credible due to inconsistencies.
VA examinations from January 2014 to December 2021 showed normal knee stability.; Lay and medical evidence did not demonstrate recurrent subluxation or dislocation.; Veteran's description of 'loose motion' and occasional brace use did not meet criteria for moderate instability.
No in-service complaints or diagnosis of knee issues.; Diagnosis of left meniscus tear in 2014 and left knee degenerative arthritis in 2023.; Etiology and pathophysiology of meniscus tears and degenerative arthritis are fully understood (overuse/trauma).; Veteran reported pop in 2023, supporting conditions did not occur during service.; Less likely than not incurred in or caused by claimed in-service injury.
Knee conditions claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where knee was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
Conditions claimed secondary to a knee condition
Other conditions veterans claimed as caused or aggravated by knee, with how often the Board granted them.
- Hip impairment secondary to a knee condition2,665 decisions · 19.0% granted
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to a knee condition2,449 decisions · 24.1% granted
- Intervertebral disc syndrome secondary to a knee condition1,760 decisions · 19.7% granted
- Sleep apnea secondary to a knee condition983 decisions · 46.2% granted
- Ankle impairment secondary to a knee condition952 decisions · 15.2% granted
- Thoracolumbar or lumbar spine limitation of motion secondary to a knee condition636 decisions · 8.6% granted
- Osteoarthritis secondary to a knee condition535 decisions · 34.2% granted
- Major depressive disorder secondary to a knee condition512 decisions · 49.4% granted
- Foot impairment secondary to a knee condition445 decisions · 8.3% granted
- Shoulder impairment secondary to a knee condition426 decisions · 15.0% granted
- Cervical spine limitation of motion secondary to a knee condition396 decisions · 10.6% granted
Knee conditions outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 9,797 | 10.8% | 31.1% | 53.7% | 4.4% |
| 2018 | 15,596 | 13.6% | 30.6% | 52.6% | 3.1% |
| 2019 | 16,396 | 14.0% | 29.4% | 54.7% | 1.9% |
| 2020 | 16,158 | 15.9% | 33.2% | 49.5% | 1.3% |
| 2021 | 16,158 | 16.2% | 32.3% | 50.1% | 1.4% |
| 2022 | 15,823 | 17.9% | 26.4% | 54.4% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 16,924 | 17.8% | 26.7% | 54.3% | 1.2% |
| 2024 | 16,545 | 20.4% | 28.8% | 49.6% | 1.3% |
| 2025 | 15,277 | 22.2% | 30.9% | 45.6% | 1.3% |
| 2026 | 5,933 | 28.2% | 29.8% | 40.8% | 1.2% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Why the Board granted or denied knee
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established1,837
- Continuity of symptomatology since service461
- Caused by the service-connected disability435
- Service connection established248
- Already at the maximum schedular rating184
- Criteria for service connection met152
- Criteria for 10 percent rating met123
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability101
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim2,947
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service2,583
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis2,524
- Service records negative or silent1,668
- No current diagnosis1,599
- Current diagnosis established1,212
- No continuity of symptomatology640
- Already at the maximum schedular rating426
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
How the Board rates knee
The Board decided 55,565 knee rating issues from 2017 to 2026: it granted a higher rating in 18%, denied one in 34% and sent 45% back for a new exam or more records.
By diagnostic code
The codes the Board rated knee under, most used first. “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands. The last column is the percent the Board assigned most often when it granted a higher rating.
| Code | Issues | Granted on the merits | Remanded | Most common rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5260Leg, limitation of flexion of | 4,252 | 21.2% | 7.9% | 10% (44% of grants) |
| 5257Knee, other impairment of | 3,861 | 55.0% | 16.4% | 10% (58% of grants) |
| 5261Leg, limitation of extension of | 1,754 | 38.6% | 7.8% | 10% (43% of grants) |
| 5055 | 1,198 | 42.5% | 16.5% | 60% (83% of grants) |
| 5258Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of “locking,” pain, and effusion into the joint | 1,037 | 67.7% | 12.7% | 20% (97% of grants) |
| 5003 | 602 | 21.9% | 18.9% | 10% (83% of grants) |
| 5259Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic | 409 | 62.6% | 14.2% | 10% (97% of grants) |
40,539 issues named no diagnostic code, most of them remands.
Ratings the Board assigned
Share of each percent among the 6,946 grants that stated one.
- 0%0.2%
- 10%45.0%
- 20%32.1%
- 30%11.8%
- 40%2.5%
- 50%1.4%
- 60%6.1%
- 70%0.0%
- 90%0.0%
- 100%0.8%
Why the Board granted a higher rating
- instability or giving way2,566
- benefit of the doubt / evidence in equipoise2,494
- painful motion, functional loss or flare-ups2,028
- range of motion findings1,482
- criteria for the rating met or more nearly approximated1,042
- criteria for a higher rating not met396
Why the Board denied one
- criteria for a higher rating not met6,689
- range of motion findings5,971
- instability or giving way5,147
- painful motion, functional loss or flare-ups4,934
- already at the maximum schedular rating418
- benefit of the doubt / evidence in equipoise366
Evidence in rating grants and denials
How often the Board granted a higher knee rating on the merits when the decision mentioned each kind of evidence, against decisions that did not. Associations, not causes.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Favorable VA exam | 4,921 | 48.3% | 32.5% | +15.8 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 1,883 | 46.1% | 34.3% | +11.9 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 10,663 | 40.6% | 32.9% | +7.7 pts |
| Lay statement | 36,523 | 34.4% | 36.3% | −1.8 pts |
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 33,635 | 33.0% | 40.0% | −7.0 pts |
The Board applied the benefit of the doubt (38 CFR 3.102) in 48.9% of the decisions that granted a higher rating.
Recent rating decisions
Higher rating granted
Separate rating allowed for limitation of flexion; Flexion limited to 40 degrees on flare-up; Satisfies criteria for 10% rating under DC 5260
Private medical opinion provided favorable nexus; Equipoise resolved in Veteran's favor; Secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability
Painful motion and functional loss due to flexion limited to 30 degrees; Discounted ameliorative effects of medication; Applied benefit of the doubt
Denied
VA examinations from January 2014 to December 2021 showed normal knee stability.; Lay and medical evidence did not demonstrate recurrent subluxation or dislocation.; Veteran's description of 'loose motion' and occasional brace use did not meet criteria for moderate instability.
September 2024 VA exam showed flexion limited to 105 degrees.; Evidence persuasively weighs against a rating higher than 10 percent.; Higher ratings require flexion limited to 30 degrees or less.
No competent medical evidence linking current disability to in-service event; No duty-to-assist error regarding cancelled VA examination; Record weighs against service connection
How VA rates knee
Once service connection is granted, VA assigns a disability rating from the rating schedule, 38 CFR 4.71a. The Board rates knee under 8 diagnostic codes, shown here in the order it used them most. The rating is the same whether the condition is service connected directly or as secondary to another disability.
5260 Leg, limitation of flexion of
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 30% | Flexion limited to 15° |
| 20% | Flexion limited to 30° |
| 10% | Flexion limited to 45° |
| 0% | Flexion limited to 60° |
5257 Knee, other impairment of
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Recurrent subluxation or instability | |
| 30% | Unrepaired or failed repair of complete ligament tear causing persistent instability, and a medical provider prescribes both an assistive device (e.g., cane(s), crutch(es), walker) and bracing for ambulation |
| One of the following | |
| (a) Sprain, incomplete ligament tear, or repaired complete ligament tear causing persistent instability, and a medical provider prescribes a brace and/or assistive device (e.g., cane(s), crutch(es), walker) for ambulation. | |
| 20% | (b) Unrepaired or failed repair of complete ligament tear causing persistent instability, and a medical provider prescribes either an assistive device (e.g., cane(s), crutch(es), walker) or bracing for ambulation |
| 10% | Sprain, incomplete ligament tear, or complete ligament tear (repaired, unrepaired, or failed repair) causing persistent instability, without a prescription from a medical provider for an assistive device (e.g., cane(s), crutch(es), walker) or bracing for ambulation |
| Patellar instability | |
| 30% | A diagnosed condition involving the patellofemoral complex with recurrent instability after surgical repair that requires a prescription by a medical provider for a brace and either a cane or a walker |
| 20% | A diagnosed condition involving the patellofemoral complex with recurrent instability after surgical repair that requires a prescription by a medical provider for one of the following: A brace, cane, or walker |
| 10% | A diagnosed condition involving the patellofemoral complex with recurrent instability (with or without history of surgical repair) that does not require a prescription from a medical provider for a brace, cane, or walker |
- Note (1): For patellar instability, the patellofemoral complex consists of the quadriceps tendon, the patella, and the patellar tendon.
- Note (2): A surgical procedure that does not involve repair of one or more patellofemoral components that contribute to the underlying instability shall not qualify as surgical repair for patellar instability (including, but not limited to, arthroscopy to remove loose bodies and joint aspiration).
5261 Leg, limitation of extension of
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 50% | Extension limited to 45° |
| 40% | Extension limited to 30° |
| 30% | Extension limited to 20° |
| 20% | Extension limited to 15° |
| 10% | Extension limited to 10° |
| 0% | Extension limited to 5° |
5258 Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of “locking,” pain, and effusion into the joint
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 20% | Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of “locking,” pain, and effusion into the joint |
Also in this range: 5259 Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic; 5256 Knee, ankylosis of; 5262 Tibia and fibula, impairment of; 5263 Genu recurvatum (acquired, traumatic, with weakness and insecurity in weight-bearing objectively demonstrated). See 38 CFR 4.71a for their levels.
Text of 38 CFR 4.71a as of Feb 27, 2026. Confirm the current text at the source before relying on it.
Rules that apply to knee claims
- 38 CFR 4.71a · DC 5256-5263
Schedule of ratings: musculoskeletal system (knee and leg)
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.1.B.4
Knee: instability, meniscus, genu recurvatum, and when to rate them separately from limited motion
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.1.A
Painful motion and functional loss (38 CFR 4.59, DeLuca, Mitchell, Correia), incl. knee replacement
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your knee case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a knee issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.
Where this data comes from
- Claim
- Regional office decides
- Veteran appeals
- Board decides
- Granted · Denied · Remanded: back to the regional office
Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions show how VA's highest review body applies 38 CFR and weighs evidence on contested claims.
Each one is an appeal: a regional office decided the claim first, and the veteran appealed. So these rates describe the Board, not a veteran's odds at the regional office, where most claims are decided and whose decisions are not public.
More on what Board decisions can and cannot tell you