Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is due to her active-duty service and grants her claim for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the previously denied claims of service connection for low back disability, bilateral knee disability, heart disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. Additional VA treatment records must be obtained and considered.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for nerve damage associated with mandible fracture, bilateral knees condition, and bilateral hip condition. The evidence did not support a finding of current disability or that any conditions were incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate examinations in previous decisions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right hip, knee, and leg conditions are not related to his military service. The evidence does not support a nexus between any of these conditions and an in-service injury or event.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left knee condition and its relationship to service, with a focus on obtaining additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's back disability is granted as service-connected. The issues of left hand, right hand, bilateral lung condition (embolism), right shoulder, right knee, and left knee conditions are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for left knee arthritis, finding that his current condition is related to his active service as a paratrooper.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis, left thumb laceration residuals, and other lower extremity disabilities have been granted. The Board has also remanded the Veteran's increased rating claims and requests for compensable ratings for his service-connected scars and migraines.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left knee condition is related to his service or if it is aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. Additional medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The left knee osteoarthritis was rated at 10 percent, while the right knee instability was rated at 20 percent prior to February 22, 2023, but not higher than 20 percent thereafter. The Veteran did not meet criteria for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, PTSD, and acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) are not related to service. The claims for these conditions are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee condition, which is presumed to be related to her Gulf War service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, left shoulder, and lumbar spine disabilities due to insufficient rationale in previous opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability was reopened on the basis of new and material evidence. The appeal is granted to this extent.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for a lumbar spine disability prior to August 21, 2020 remains denied.,The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated with a separate 10 percent rating since December 15, 2009 due to slight instability. The appeal is denied.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy prior to July 17, 2009 remains denied.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder has been rated with a disability rating in excess of 50 percent since May 20, 2023. The appeal is denied.,The Veteran was granted TDIU effective prior to May 30, 2023.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, resulting in TDIU. The Veteran also received a disability rating of 30 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left knee post-July 1, 2020, with no higher rating warranted under any other diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, neck disability, back condition, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral hip disorder, left knee disability, and bilateral ankle and foot disorders. However, the claims have been remanded due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy is being remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's left knee internal derangement with traumatic arthritis is rated at 30 percent for the period from August 1, 2017 to July 30, 2023. The rating was increased based on instability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,Service connection for right knee disability is also being remanded as there was insufficient evidence in the record regarding its etiology.