Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless as to need regular aid and attendance for the period of time on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and for a new opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee condition.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated based on their current manifestations, with the highest possible rating of 20 percent for instability in both knees. The ratings are denied as they do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability, including osteoarthritis, is at least as likely as not related to his active military service and granted his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of SMC housebound has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support housebound status prior to January 22, 2021, when the Veteran became entitled on a schedular basis due to his PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disorders, finding that his current diagnoses are related to his military service. The decision also finds that his left knee disorder is proximately due to his now service-connected right knee disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, right hip, left knee, and right knee. The Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right lower extremity above-the-knee amputation and depression as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The Veteran is also entitled to special monthly compensation based on loss of use of the right leg effective February 7, 2019.

The Board has determined that there is no new and relevant evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection of left elbow, right elbow, left knee, and right knee conditions. As a result, the claims are denied.

The Veteran's claim for right shoulder disability was dismissed because it became final on January 20, 2022. The claims of left shoulder and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease (DJD) and found it related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), right knee degenerative joint disease, and left foot calcification. The decision is based on a finding that all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran has been resolved.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his current right shoulder, right hip, and bilateral knee disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for knee disorder, manifested by weakness and left shoulder disorder, manifested by loss of motion. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety, depression, and PTSD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted with an effective date of March 1, 2017. The Board found that the evidence did not show a worsening in his service-connected disabilities during the one-year look-back period and thus could not establish entitlement to an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's combined rating was 70% prior to January 28, 2010. The Board denied TDIU for the period from February 2, 2009 to January 27, 2010 due to his ability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, which includes symptoms of both psoriatic and osteoarthritis, warrants remanded for further evaluation. The appeal is related to increased ratings and temporary total convalescent ratings following surgeries, as well as service connection for scars secondary to a total knee replacement.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right elbow medial epicondylitis, right knee patellar tendonitis, and a right shoulder pain condition (rotator cuff tendonitis) due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during service.

The Veteran's initial rating for left knee joint replacement is denied, and his initial compensable rating for a scar on the left lower extremity is also denied. The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis is rated at 10 percent prior to September 9, 2019, and 30 percent from November 1, 2020. Service connection for hemorrhoids, cataract condition, kidney stones, sleep apnea, ear condition, left ankle conditions, right ankle conditions, and sensorineural hearing loss are all denied.