Knee decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims of service connection for back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy (claimed as numbness), left lower extremity radiculopathy (claimed as numbness), right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability are dismissed.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for bilateral pes planus is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for right knee disability is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for left knee disability (claimed as chronic knee strain post fracture of the left lateral femoral condyle) is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for right shin splint disability is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for left shin splint disability is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for right wrist disability is reopened.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension under the PACT Act, which entitles the Veteran to an effective date of August 10, 2022. The Board has also remanded the issues regarding bilateral ankle disability, bilateral knee disability, and low back condition as they relate to obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for chronic back pain, bilateral knee condition, and bilateral foot condition due to inadequate previous medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability, right meniscus tear, and bilateral osteoarthritis. The VA is required to obtain updated treatment records and seek a new medical opinion from an orthopedic specialist.

The Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis are rated at 40 percent from August 27, 2018 to January 18, 2019. The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's knees due to lack of proper range of motion measurements.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claims for service connection for right knee disability, bilateral pes planus, anxiety and depression is granted. The Board finds the issues of service connection are inextricably intertwined with the reopened claims and therefore remands them for further development.

Service connection is granted for a left knee disability, right knee disability, and back disability. Service connection is denied for hyperlipidemia, hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, varicose veins, and blood clots of the lower extremities.,The Veteran's service treatment records indicate an in-service left knee injury. A private medical opinion diagnosed a current left knee disability and opined that it was related to the in-service injury. The July 2017 VA examination indicated no relationship between the left knee disability and service, but this is not considered as the August 2022 private medical opinion is more persuasive.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to the need for a new examination and consideration of the Veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities, including instability and limitation of motion. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it may be significantly impacted by the results of these examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected left knee strain, right knee status post synovectomy and degenerative spur at superior patella, left knee instability, right knee instability, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The remand requires additional development including new VA examinations to assess the severity of these disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee and hip disabilities, including radiculopathy, due to insufficient VA examination opinions addressing causation and aggravation.

All issues related to service connection have been either granted in full or finally denied by the Board without subsequent appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete examination and a need for further medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and his left knee osteoarthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of any current right knee disorder and its relationship with the service-connected injured nerve, status post left knee surgery, and resulting scar residuals.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, left hip, right hip, right knee, left knee, and shoulder disabilities have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,New evidence has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine and left hip disabilities.

The Veteran requested withdrawal of his claims for increased rating for left knee bursitis and service connection for sleep apnea, GERD, headaches, and sacral radiculopathy. The Board dismissed these claims as the appellant has withdrawn them.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for retropatellar pain syndrome, left and right knees are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to comply with the October 2022 Board remand directives.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability and right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active service.

The Board denied reopening of service connection for a Baker's cyst right knee due to lack of new and material evidence, as the submitted evidence did not show that the right knee Baker's cyst was incurred in or otherwise caused by active service.

The Veteran's right knee instability is rated at 30 percent from June 11, 2010 to October 29, 2014. The claim for service connection of left knee impairment and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted, and requests additional VA medical opinions regarding the relationship between his current back condition and bilateral knee conditions and his service-connected bilateral callouses and hallux valgus disability.