Knee decisions — 2023

The Board denied service connection for back, right knee, and left knee disabilities as they were not incurred in the line of duty during the appellant's ACDUTRA service from March 1982 to June 1982.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral lower extremity rheumatoid arthritis and denied increased ratings for left and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis was not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, and there is no competent evidence it is related to an in-service injury or disease. Increased rating claims for knees were also denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral cataracts has been withdrawn. The Board granted a TDIU effective from December 10, 2014 to July 18, 2022.,Effective from July 18, 2022, the Veteran is in receipt of a combined disability rating of 100 percent due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional relevant medical evidence must be obtained and associated with the Veteran's claims file before a final decision can be made on her increased disability evaluation for scar, left index finger; service connection for right knee disorder; service connection for respiratory disorder (including allergies); and service connection for right ankle disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disability and right knee disability, both related to the Veteran's active-duty service. The decision is based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic headache and right knee disabilities have been denied. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or relationship to service.,For cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, additional development is needed as there are no current diagnoses provided by the VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence, including missing treatment records and a lack of an etiology opinion. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is now pending again.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, right knee, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities are not service-connected.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability is also not service-connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left hamstring disorders, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's initial and increased rating claims for his right knee disability, left knee disability, and cartilage damage of the right knee have been denied. The decision does not address any service connection theory or exposure basis.

The Veteran's left knee condition, including degenerative joint disease and meniscus repair, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current functional limitations.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, indicating he no longer wished to pursue the claims for service connection or rating increases. The Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation from November 30, 2009, through November 14, 2014. He also has diabetes which is rated at over 60 percent. Therefore, TDIU and SMC at the housebound rate are granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disorders, as well as her acquired psychiatric disability. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding its onset and whether it is secondary to her service-connected knee disorders.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as his claim for TDIU. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current bilateral knee disabilities to service or any other incident in service.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for depression and service connection for corneal abrasion are dismissed. The Veteran's claim for service connection for hemorrhoids as secondary to his service-connected IBS is granted. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, which is related to his right knee disability, is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder arthritis, left knee disability, and a muscle disorder (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome) due to insufficient evidence in the VA examinations provided. The Veteran is also seeking higher ratings for his lumbar strain, right knee osteoarthritis, and migraine headaches.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and TDIU due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service, and found that the Veteran's disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim for referral to the Director of Compensation Service due to insufficient discussion in the June 2021 decision regarding his service-connected disabilities and their impact on employment.