Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for right and left knee disabilities, as well as shoulder disabilities. The RO is instructed to obtain private medical records from identified providers and associate physical therapy records with the claims file.

The Veteran's service-connected obesity is attributed to his service-connected left plantar wart and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, which has caused him to develop polymyositis and arthritis of multiple joints. The Board grants service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar degenerative disc disease, right knee status-post ACL reconstruction, right knee instability, and left knee patellofemoral pain are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that remand is necessary to confirm the Veteran's precise dates of all periods of active duty service, ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA. The AOJ should also obtain and associate with the claims file any and all outstanding medical records from the Veteran's periods of ACDUTRA and/or INACDUTRA.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for soft tissue sarcoma, but their psychiatric disability, rectal cancer, right ankle disability, and left knee disability are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for low back, right knee, and left knee conditions were denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss was granted based on in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded several issues for readjudication due to the submission of additional evidence since the last decision. The Veteran is requested to waive AOJ consideration of this new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee condition began during his military service and is related to his active duty, granting him service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee disability due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of his current condition. The case is being sent back for an addendum opinion from a clinician.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted for bilateral ankle, knee, and OSA disabilities. Service connection has also been granted for left ear hearing loss but denied for right ear hearing loss.,Remaining issues of service connection are remanded for further review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between her current knee disabilities and her military service.

The Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis and cervical spondylosis were not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, and there has been no continuity of symptomatology since active service or within a year of separation from active service. The Board finds that the persuasive weight of the evidence shows these disabilities were not incurred in service.,The Veteran's right knee arthritis and left knee arthritis were also not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, and there has been no continuity of symptomatology since active service or within a year of separation from active service. The Board finds that the persuasive weight of the evidence shows these disabilities were not incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection regarding his right knee, left knee, lower back, and neck conditions must be remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and records. The VA will need to secure complete service records, verify the Veteran's duty status during relevant periods, and provide examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities were denied in January 2009. The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right lateral epicondylitis is remanded, as her current symptoms have worsened since the last examination.

The Veteran's right knee disorder is rated at 30 percent, but no higher, for residuals of partial right knee replacement beginning February 28, 2019. The left knee disorder remains rated at 20 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability warrants a rating higher than 10 percent and has remanded the case for further development.

The Veteran's pes planus was granted a 50% rating prior to September 22, 2015. The Board found that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities and granted TDIU.

Your appeals for service connection of left and right knee disabilities have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board has no jurisdiction to proceed with these claims as they are now closed.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development, including VA examinations. The Veteran's right knee condition and scar are rated more than 10 percent but need further evaluation.