Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee condition as secondary to the Veteran's right knee condition, based on evidence that the Veteran's left knee pain was caused by overcompensating due to his right knee issues.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of residuals of decompression sickness and a right knee disability due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to any decision being made.

The Veteran's sleep apnea, left shoulder joint separation, and knee chondromalacia have all been rated as per the current criteria without meeting the requirements for higher ratings.,Higher ratings are not warranted due to lack of evidence showing respiratory failure or tracheostomy required for a 100% rating for sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's reported symptoms and history.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for chronic associated pain and increased ratings for left knee injury torn ligaments and subluxation of patella were dismissed.,A separate rating of 10 percent but no higher, for a left knee meniscectomy on and after January 19, 2016, was granted. The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left knee was denied.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a distended bladder was also dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for an examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee condition, which is believed to be related to reserve service.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding the appellant's exposure to herbicide agents, asbestos, or PCBs during service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities are inextricably intertwined with the issue of exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee pain, rhinitis, and migraine condition due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's right total knee replacement is granted at a 60 percent disability rating effective December 12, 2022. The issues of entitlement to separate initial ratings for the symptomatic meniscus removal and slight instability are also granted.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including VA examinations to assess the current nature and severity of various conditions. The Veteran's service connection claims are not addressed as they involve direct service connection.

The Veteran's claims for back, right knee, bilateral pes planus, and left elbow disabilities have been granted.,All issues related to these conditions were decided in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records from the Utah Air National Guard. The neck and left knee disabilities are being reviewed again, along with the tension headache claim.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability and denied increased ratings for the Veteran's knees. The decision also remanded issues regarding secondary service connection for knee disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of right shoulder, left knee, and infertility disabilities due to new evidence submitted. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and hypertension due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of her knee disabilities, as well as her thoracolumbar spine disability. The cases are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including lateral epicondylitis of the left elbow, left hip iliopsoas and iliotibial tendinopathy, right hip iliopsoas and iliotibial tendinopathy, metatarsalgia of the left foot, chronic ankle sprain with tendinopathy, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine with foraminal narrowing, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with foraminal narrowing, patellofemoral syndrome of both knees. The conditions are found to be at least as likely as not related to active service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disabilities due to incomplete compliance with previous remands. The case is being returned for further evaluation and clarification regarding instances of instability and recurrent episodes of effusions since August 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, as his combined disability rating is at least 80 percent.