Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee arthritis, degenerative with chondromalacia, is related to service and remanded for further clarification of the opinion.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's appeals for service connection regarding a right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and residuals of hysterectomy need to be remanded due to new evidence added to the record since the March 2019 Statement of the Case.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to September 23, 2013, finding that he was not unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities due to a lack of recent VA examination and the need for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service. The claim was reopened due to new evidence showing a current diagnosis of degenerative arthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for kidney stones, finding that an addendum opinion is needed to address whether his kidney stones are proximately due or the result of his service-connected disabilities. The issues include determining if the Veteran's kidney stones have been aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of persistent edema or other conditions necessary to warrant an increased rating for varicose veins, and also found no in-service injury or disease related to his left knee, right knee, or right ankle conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for gout and arthritis of the right knee, as secondary to service-connected arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine. The remand requires a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of these conditions, including whether they are related to service or aggravated by service-connected arthritis.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee disability, back disability, acquired psychiatric disability (MDD), and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to potential issues with the adequacy of the examinations provided.,These matters are being returned to the VA examiners or appropriate medical providers for further evaluation and opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed conditions.,The Veteran's service records show multiple instances of knee and back complaints during his active-duty service, which may impact the determination of whether these disabilities are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his knee and foot conditions due to outstanding VA and private treatment records not being obtained.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including a tear of the lateral meniscus, hypertrophic synovitis, and chondromalacia of the patellofemoral and medial femoral condyle, is related to his military service. The Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, bowel and gastrointestinal conditions, hepatitis C in remission, sinusitis, allergies (allergic rhinitis), skin disability (eczema, dermatitis, or lichen planus), unspecified joint pains, generalized degenerative arthritis, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, back disability, right lower extremity disability, left lower extremity disability, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, left wrist disability, and finger condition for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to concerns about Gulf War Syndrome and the Veteran's inability to attend VA examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's applications to reopen their claims for service connection for neck strain (claimed as osteoarthritis of spine), back strain, patellofemoral syndrome of left knee, and patellofemoral syndrome of right knee. These conditions are considered direct service connections based on evidence showing current disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected right knee, spine, and lower extremity conditions due to a lack of recent evaluations. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is intertwined with these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorder and back disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,An initial rating of 30 percent is granted for tension headaches prior to October 26, 2019.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for right knee strain and instability was denied. The initial rating of 10 percent for right knee strain is maintained, while a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability prior to June 22, 2021, is granted. However, the rating for right knee instability from June 22, 2021, remains denied.

The Veteran's temporary total disability rating for left knee surgery convalescence is extended through May 31, 2009. A TDIU is granted effective May 7, 2019.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's left knee disability, including initial increased ratings and service connection for various symptoms. The appeal is on-going with additional development needed.