Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee osteoarthritis and a heart disability due to service. The claims are being reviewed because of potential errors in obtaining relevant private treatment records and VA examinations, as well as the need for an opinion on whether the Veteran's current conditions are related to his service-connected back disability or contaminated water exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted with an effective date of September 13, 2017. The Board found that the Veteran met the requirements for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders since this date.,The Veteran is now eligible for DEA benefits starting from September 13, 2017, as his TDIU claim was granted earlier than previously.

The Board has determined that the evidence is insufficient to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and maintaining gainful employment. The VA examinations do not provide sufficient detail on the impact of his service-connected mental health condition on his employability.

The Veteran's right knee arthroplasty is being remanded due to a pre-decisional error in the February 2022 decision, specifically regarding the determination of whether his osteoarthritis was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD, anxiety, and depression), allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, left elbow disability, right elbow disability, neck disability, colostomy, diverticulosis, bilateral foot condition, heart disability, hemorrhoids, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, back disability, colon polyps, prostate disability, and vertigo were denied as there is no evidence of current diagnoses or a causal relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, as well as his back and knee disabilities. The claims of entitlement to service connection for the right and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left shoulder disability and denied claims for right knee and neck disabilities. The claim for secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right and left knee pain, as well as bilateral hearing loss due to potential issues with the evidence considered in the initial decisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 were both granted effective as of October 5, 2020. The Board denied the requests for earlier effective dates.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are remanded for further development, including obtaining a new medical opinion to address the etiology of his current knee conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, right knee disability, and left knee disability have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has also been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various foot, hip, knee, and back disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The claims will be reconsidered with new evidence and medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for various knee and nerve disorders, finding no current diagnoses during the appeal period.,Service connection was also denied for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, residuals of a broken nose, sterility, and prostate cancer. The claims for left hip disability, right hip disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, right knee disability, and eye disability are remanded for further development.

Service connection for a middle back condition is denied. The Veteran's middle back condition is not service-connected as it is secondary to her lumbar strain.,The Veteran's CFS and sleep disturbance are remanded for further evaluation, including whether they are related to service or due to other service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's right knee condition is remanded for a VA medical opinion regarding its relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee degenerative osteoarthritis and somatic symptom disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Veteran's tinnitus, left ankle sprain, right ankle condition, and low back condition are denied as service connection is not established. The Veteran's neck condition is also denied.,The Veteran's left foot tingling (lower extremity radiculopathy) is remanded due to its inextricable link with the claimed low back condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for major depressive disorder was granted, and an effective date of November 29, 2018, is established. The TDIU and Dependents' Education Assistance claims are also granted.

The appeal seeking revision or reversal of the September 22, 1976 rating decision that denied service connection for a right knee disorder is dismissed because it has been subsumed by the April 24, 1978 Board decision.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability, including arthritis and pseudogout, is granted as service-connected due to its onset during combat in Korea. The claim was readjudicated after new evidence was submitted showing continuity of symptomatology since service.