Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors, including the failure to obtain VA treatment records and schedule a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for a right arm disorder, TBI or residuals thereof, and headaches. The claims for service connection for neck, left upper extremity, back, and knee disorders were remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for pneumonia, sleep apnea, bilateral knee condition, and left elbow condition are remanded due to the need for further development regarding potential exposure-based service connection.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for a right knee condition and denied service connection for chronic back pain, including as secondary to a right knee condition.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including left knee, low back, right and left hearing loss, right and left foot dermatophytosis, and right knee strain, as the evidence did not show current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder condition due to the lack of current diagnosis. The right knee condition is remanded as there are missing VA and private treatment records.

The Board denied a compensable rating for ingrown toenails, right 5th toe dermatophytosis and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, granted a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve of the left lower extremity effective October 31, 2021, and denied compensable ratings for scars of the left forearm and ankle as well as an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee condition, secondary to the Veteran's already service-connected right ankle sprain.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, right knee disability, and HIV. The Board found that there is no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within the applicable presumptive period, and that continuity of symptomatology was not established.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as new and material evidence was received. The claims are now pending further development to determine if service connection can be established.

The Board has denied service connection for scars, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder was also denied as secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hand disability, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and headache disability as the evidence did not support that any of these disabilities began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons or bases in the December 2022 decision, and further development is needed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability is remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination and the need for a new one with estimated range of motion during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information regarding his periods of active service, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The AOJ is instructed to verify these periods and issue a memorandum detailing them in the Veteran's file.

The Veteran's appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for gout, a left knee disorder, and a skin disorder is dismissed as he opted out of the legacy appeals system.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability has been granted. The appeal regarding OSA was remanded.,New evidence received since the last rating decision raised reasonable possibility of substantiating claims for both conditions.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions. The cases are now remanded for further review.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for left knee instability and limitation of flexion was denied. The evidence showed that the Veteran had a range of motion from 0 to 130 degrees, which is considered abnormal given the normal range is 0 to 140 degrees. However, this did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under DC 5260.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's left knee disability was clearly and unmistakably not aggravated by service, or if it is at least likely as not related to active-duty service.