Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for any of the conditions.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of November 1, 2019 for service connection to be established for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and status post left knee arthroscopy meniscus tear repair, and scar.

The Veteran's right knee condition and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease were granted service connection effective August 6, 1985.,The Veteran's RLE radiculopathy was granted service connection effective July 11, 2003. The LLE radiculopathy claim is denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosis prior to September 23, 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right knee scar existed prior to service and if it was caused or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for chronic bronchitis is denied.,Service connection for a right knee disability is denied. The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left shoulder and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to conflicting evidence.,Service connection for a left shoulder disability, as well as for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, are also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection of right and left knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and missing records. The Veteran's conditions are related to his active duty, but additional evidence is needed.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for left knee disability, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction due to incomplete medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral pes planus, plantar fasciitis, lumbosacral strain, left knee strain, and right knee strain due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiners' opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left hip osteoarthritis and left knee status post total replacement, are now rated as 60 percent disabling when combined with other conditions. Effective January 30, 2023, the Veteran is granted special monthly compensation at the housebound rate.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as he has completed at least four years of college and worked as a college professor for over 30 years. The Board finds that the combined effect of his service-connected conditions does not preclude him from participating in a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of October 27, 2016, for a 10% rating for his painful right knee scar. The earliest effective date allowed by the record is October 27, 2016, as the Veteran has continuously pursued his claim since then.

The Board is remanding all issues of service connection for hand, knee, shoulder, and peripheral neuropathy disabilities due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board dismissed the claims of service connection for various conditions due to a lack of an initial substitution eligibility determination by the AOJ.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability was denied. However, the Board granted a TDIU effective from November 6, 2019, based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits were granted from December 2, 2018 to July 7, 2019 due to his service-connected right hip and bilateral knee disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the adequacy of a previous VA medical opinion and the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether obesity is an intermediate step between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his right knee disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder and all remaining issues. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during active service. The evidence does not establish an in-service injury, disease, or event for these conditions.