Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and degenerative arthritis of the bilateral knees and hips, but has remanded these issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for left knee, left shoulder, and back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities, including associated scars, were denied. The Board found that the criteria for higher ratings under the old and new rating criteria did not meet the requirements.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his left knee condition prior to October 9, 2019 is denied. His claim for a 60 percent disability rating for the residuals of his total left knee replacement beginning December 1, 2020 is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities are not related to his service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Veteran's shin splints and knee strains have been rated at the lowest possible level (10%) due to their limited functional impairment, with no evidence of more severe conditions such as moderate or greater knee disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and neck disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition and right eye disability have been reopened, while the claim for an increased rating for right foot pes planus has been remanded. The Board also found that new evidence supports reopening of these claims.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the current 30 percent rating for left knee instability is appropriate, as it represents the maximum schedular rating assignable for this disability. For the initial increase in rating claim, the evidence did not show flexion limited to 30 degrees or less.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee disabilities have been denied. The specific issues include the rating of Osgood-Schlatter's disease, meniscal tear, and post-total knee replacement conditions.

The Veteran's claims have been dismissed due to withdrawal of appeals for a compensable rating for onychomycosis and reopening of previously denied claims. Service connection has been granted for right knee strain, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee, ankle, and foot disorders due to insufficient information and need for a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to a lack of diagnosed conditions or functional impairment related to his knees.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his right knee disorder, finding that there is no evidence linking the condition to his active duty or any period of ACDUTRA. The earliest documented symptoms were in 2013.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of medical evidence linking the Veteran's right knee disability to his active service. The Veteran needs to undergo a VA examination to determine if he has a current right knee disability and whether it is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence submitted, and issues related to service connection for a disability of the neck, sleep disorder, right knee, and TDIU prior to March 23, 2022 have been identified. The appeal is currently in process.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and a VA examination to assess any sleep or psychiatric disorders related to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and denied the remaining issues. The appellant's tinnitus is rated at its maximum schedular rating, and his hypertension is considered presumptively related to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine traumatic paravertebral myositis, right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right and left ankle strain, and chronic tonsillitis, have rendered him unemployable. The Board has granted a TDIU and established basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that there was no current skin disability, the bilateral hearing loss did not meet criteria for a higher rating, and tinnitus met the standard for a 10% rating. The right knee disability claim is remanded.