BVA decisions by condition
Knee conditions: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a knee issue in 85,401 decisions. It granted the knee issue in 19.6% of them, close to the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 31.6%, and remanded it in 53.8%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 38.3% were granted.
Decisions
85,401
2018–2026
Granted
19.6%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
38.3%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
53.8%
Denied: 31.6%
Knee conditions outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 10,630 | 15.4% | 32.8% | 54.5% |
| 2019 | 10,861 | 15.5% | 31.3% | 57.7% |
| 2020 | 10,443 | 17.5% | 35.3% | 52.7% |
| 2021 | 10,081 | 18.1% | 34.1% | 54.0% |
| 2022 | 9,744 | 19.9% | 27.9% | 57.8% |
| 2023 | 10,450 | 20.0% | 28.1% | 57.4% |
| 2024 | 10,185 | 22.7% | 30.7% | 52.0% |
| 2025 | 9,320 | 24.8% | 32.9% | 47.4% |
| 2026 | 3,687 | 30.4% | 31.8% | 43.0% |
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 | 11,138 | 71.3% | 30.7% | +40.6 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 8,559 | 58.6% | 34.5% | +24.1 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 3,774 | 59.2% | 36.9% | +22.3 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 23,064 | 49.7% | 32.5% | +17.2 pts |
| Buddy statement | 2,705 | 53.5% | 37.7% | +15.8 pts |
| Combat service | 4,004 | 50.3% | 37.6% | +12.7 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 13,350 | 49.5% | 36.9% | +12.6 pts |
| Lay statement | 70,353 | 37.9% | 40.8% | −2.9 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 66.4% of the decisions that granted knee.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 40.1% of grants and 14.5% 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 | 38,933 | 37.8% | 38.7% | −0.8 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 64,168 | 37.0% | 44.5% | −7.5 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied knee
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established1,779
- Continuity of symptomatology since service429
- Already at the maximum schedular rating165
- Criteria for service connection met148
- Resolved doubt in veteran's favor136
- Criteria for 10 percent rating met121
- Evidence evenly balanced86
- In-service injury documented85
Most common reasons in denials
- Va examiner: less likely than not related to service2,310
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis2,293
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim1,989
- Service records negative or silent1,592
- No current diagnosis1,516
- Current diagnosis established1,107
- No continuity of symptomatology584
- Already at the maximum schedular rating384
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.
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.
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 (2018–2026) and can contain errors. Updated automatically as new decisions are added.
- Research aid, not legal advice. Verify each decision and regulation before relying on it.