Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and a need for additional VA and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The Veteran's left knee disability is being reviewed again.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to conflicting medical evidence and the Veteran's statements regarding his claims. The issues of service connection for residuals of a left knee injury and right knee trauma are being reconsidered.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability as secondary to his service-connected right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the aggravation of the left knee disability by the service-connected right knee disability is more likely than not.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right knee disability due to incomplete development related to periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA) and Indefinite Non-Academic Duty Training (INACDUTRA).

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for right and left ankle disorders as secondary to service-connected hip, thigh, or knee disorders due to procedural issues and need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right ear hearing loss, a right knee disorder, and back disorder have been denied. The Board has found that the Veteran does not currently have these conditions.,Service connection for left knee disorder (osteoarthritic changes) is also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis and left knee degenerative arthritis with a meniscal tear as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine with lumbar strain.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability rating for right knee subluxation from 10 percent to 10 percent effective January 1, 2020, as the reduction was improper due to lack of improvement in the condition.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to noise exposure in service and granted service connection. However, the right knee disability issue requires additional evidence due to a lack of complete service treatment records.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure. The left knee injury and hepatitis disability are denied.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a left knee disability is granted. Service connection for arthritis of the left knee and right ankle are also granted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of a right knee disorder, an enlarged prostate, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claim for ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease) is granted as presumptively associated with herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability ratings for arthritis of the right and left knees with joint instability, effective March 1, 2020. The evidence did not show improvement in knee instability that would be reasonably maintained under ordinary conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding service treatment and personnel records, specifically those related to the Veteran's service in the South Dakota National Guard. The decision does not address any specific conditions or theories of service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disability, including during flare-ups and repetitive use.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates for his service-connected disabilities is dismissed as the earliest possible effective date, January 1, 2019, has already been assigned.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease (DJD), finding that the Veteran's service-connected low back disability proximately caused his left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left knee DJD, finding that the disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral strain, bilateral knee and hip conditions, prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left knee is related to service, including as secondary to his service-connected Hodgkin’s disease.