Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's effective date for the grant of service connection for left knee instability should be earlier than June 12, 2020. However, due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, the Board has also remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's left knee disability ratings.

The Board denied service connection for right knee septic arthritis, seizures, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus as the evidence did not support a finding of a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service. The left knee condition was remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board remands the claims for a medical examination to address the Veteran's reports of flare-ups and ensure an adequate assessment of his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, as the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow any substantially gainful occupation, thus a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis with bone spur, left knee degenerative arthritis with bone spur and meniscal tear, and hypertension are all granted as service-connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of October 9, 2020 for the service connection of left shoulder strain, glenohumeral joint dislocation, status-post Bankart procedure; right shoulder strain; left shoulder residual scar; right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain with degenerative arthritis; and right knee strain.

The Board has remanded the claims for a VA examination and corresponding opinions addressing each claim on a direct incurrence basis, with consideration of the Veteran's contentions of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral ankle and knee disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Service connection was granted for right knee strain and left knee strain, as well as pneumonia (with denial of service connection). Service connection for cardiovascular disease was denied.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for headaches is dismissed.,The appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is dismissed. The claim was granted in a previous decision.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's reported knee instability, as the July 2021 medical examiner did not adequately address these issues.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal in its entirety prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Veteran's right knee strain has been rated at 10 percent, the minimum compensable rating for painful motion. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on limitation of flexion or extension.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for a left knee disability with meniscal tear and degenerative changes, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.

The Board has dismissed all issues of service connection due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including left shoulder, left hand arthritis (long finger, index finger, thumb, little finger, ring finger), and bilateral knee conditions. The evidence did not establish a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's service-connected right lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve is granted a 20 percent disability rating, effective March 28, 2021. The Veteran's service-connected right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve also receives a 20 percent disability rating from that date.