Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability manifested as pain, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased rating and service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, bilateral knee disability, low back disability, and sinus/allergic rhinitis. The appeal for left ankle disability is remanded, as are those for bilateral knee disability and low back disability. The appeal for sinus/allergic rhinitis is also remanded.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, insomnia, and PFB has been dismissed as the Appellant withdrew these claims.,Service connection for a right shoulder disorder is denied. The Veteran did not have a current right shoulder disorder that was etiologically related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right foot, bilateral knee, and lumbar spine disabilities due to inadequate opinions from previous VA examiners. Additional development is needed with an addendum opinion from a different examiner.

The Veteran's glaucoma is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The issues of increased ratings for gout and hypertension, and service connection for a back disability and OSA are remanded.

The Veteran's left knee disability, specifically limitation of flexion due to chondromalacia, is currently rated at 10 percent and the appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU was granted. The rating for residuals of right tibia-fibula fracture, to include knee and ankle conditions, is now at a 30 percent effective September 29, 2021, with separate ratings for other related conditions.

The Veteran is not able to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities from February 22, 2017.,Basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 from February 22, 2017 is granted.

Your claims for service connection and increased ratings are being returned to the agency that initially handled your claim for review. They will consider all new evidence, including a recent VA examination of your knees.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, poor body alignment, left knee pain, a back disorder (claimed as back pain), and a right knee disorder (claimed as right knee pain) has been granted. The effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral pes planus is July 16, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total evaluation due to treatment of his service-connected left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is remanded as the VA medical opinion provided was inadequate and does not address whether the Veteran's tendon repair is caused or aggravated by his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left lower extremity radiculopathy, left hip and knee DJD, and lumbar spine DJD, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since October 22, 2014.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to secure an adequate etiology opinion regarding the claimed conditions, specifically addressing whether they are caused or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, including arthritis and iliotibial band friction syndrome, is related to service. However, due to incomplete records and potential aggravation during a period of active duty, further development is needed.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee impairment and dismissed the claim of service connection for bilateral hand arthritis. The decision is based on evidence showing a relationship between current knee impairment and active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted, but the appeal of all other issues is dismissed as moot due to the grant of tinnitus.,The claims for service connection for a gynecological disability and anemia were reopened based on new evidence. The heart disability, left knee disability, respiratory disability, PTSD, and anemia are still pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities make it impossible for him to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting his claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, low back, and neck disorders due to inadequate compliance with prior remand directives. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is also remanded as a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) was not issued.

The Veteran's right knee strain was granted service connection as it began during his military service and has continued since then.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability, tinea corporis, and denied ratings for diabetes and a skin disorder (claimed as rash on arms and body). The claim for service connection for PTSD is remanded.