Knee decisions — 2024

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding no current diagnosis of such conditions in the medical records.

The Veteran's initial rating for tinnitus remains at 10 percent, and service connection is granted for a sleep disability. The Board finds the evidence in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's back, psychiatric, right hand, lower leg, or knee disabilities had their onset during active service.

The Board has determined that the claim of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals, status post right knee medial meniscectomy is not ripe for appellate review due to pre-decisional errors. The claim is remanded to obtain authorization and request private treatment records from Dr. Paul Pandolfiø, in Navarre, Florida, and to obtain supplemental medical opinions addressing the Veteran's functional limitations without considering the ameliorating effects of hydrocodone.

The Veteran's left knee strain, meniscal tear, and degenerative arthritis are found to be related to his service-connected ankle disabilities. His low back disability is also found to be related to his service-connected ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and medical opinions regarding his mental state at the time of misconduct, as well as obtaining relevant treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for left and right knee disabilities due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has identified pre-decisional duty to assist errors and has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and providing new examinations.

The Board granted service connection for right knee disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected Morton's Neuroma of the right foot.

The Board has denied service connection for lung condition, kidney condition, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction (ED), left knee condition, right knee condition, and hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability is remanded due to the failure to attend a scheduled VA examination. The Board will attempt to schedule another VA examination to assess the severity of his condition.

The Veteran's reduction in the evaluation for dermatitis from 10 percent to a noncompensable rating was not proper, and his 10 percent rating is reinstated. The Board has also remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and left knee arthritis.

The appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to an increased rating for the Veteran's left knee disability was improperly docketed and must be dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment as of February 18, 2019.

The Board has denied service connection for a right foot condition and remanded the left knee condition claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to service-connected disabilities prior to December 2, 2019, and from February 1, 2021, is denied as he did not meet the criteria for such benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claim for sleep apnea is denied. The claims for left and right knee conditions are remanded.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal, resulting in dismissal of all service connection claims for various knee and radiculopathy conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral strain, right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, right hip arthritis, and right knee arthritis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since March 16, 2021. His TDIU is granted with an effective date of March 16, 2021.

The Veteran's reduced ratings for left knee degenerative arthritis (limitation of flexion), left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) have been reinstated.,The Veteran's reduced ratings for left knee degenerative arthritis (limitation of flexion), left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) have been reinstated.,The Veteran's reduced ratings for left knee degenerative arthritis (limitation of flexion), left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) have been reinstated.,The Veteran's reduced ratings for left knee degenerative arthritis (limitation of flexion), left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral nerve) have been reinstated.