Knee decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right knee condition is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the right shoulder, left shoulder, right hand, left hand, right hip, left hip, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle joints.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral athlete's foot/toenail fungus, tinea cruris (jock itch), left knee disability, right hand arthritis, left hand arthritis, bladder disorder, atrial fibrillation, and low back disability.,There is no evidence of current diagnoses related to the claimed conditions at any time since the claims were filed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, left hip, and right hip disabilities as these conditions are found to be caused by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's left knee instability has been rated at 30 percent effective May 6, 2010.,The Veteran is granted TDIU based on bilateral knee disabilities effective May 6, 2010.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and has remanded all other claims due to incomplete or insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her helpless as to need regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting SMC based on aid and attendance from April 21, 2021.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right and left total knee replacements, but granted SMC based on a need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board dismissed the appeals for various conditions and issues as they were found to be duplicative.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle sprain, right knee strain, and sinusitis due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining STRs related to his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a duty to assist error in the February 2019 VA examination report. The claims for increased ratings for right knee disability and right knee scar are being remanded to obtain a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disorder due to lack of evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of February 26, 2010. Effective that date, the Veteran is granted an effective date for his TDIU and eligibility to Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The decision also noted that some issues, such as right knee instability and thoracolumbar scoliosis with DDD and IVDS, are currently rated appropriately.

The Veteran's appeal for increased evaluation of right knee chondromalacia was denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to March 2018. The appeals for left knee condition, hypertension, lower back with bulging disc (now claimed as low back condition), sleep apnea, and right hip trochanteric bursitis, mild osteoarthritis were all denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, as well as a major depressive disorder with anxious distress. The Veteran's knee disabilities were rated at 10 percent each, while his shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, and cervical spine disorder are related to his military service. The claims for these conditions have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability is being remanded due to the missed examination, and he needs to be provided with an opportunity to undergo a new examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of OSA and neck strain were denied. The ratings for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, slight instability of the left knee, and instability of the right knee have been granted with specific rating levels.

The Board has determined that there were errors in the VA examination reports and thus remanded for further action on all issues related to service connection and disability ratings.