Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the VA examination and medical opinion obtained prior to the March 5, 2021 rating decision on appeal were inadequate due to a failure to address positive evidence regarding the Veteran's right knee symptoms. The case is therefore being remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition, finding that there is no nexus between his current disability and his in-service injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active military service.,There is no credible medical evidence linking any current right or left knee disabilities to service. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are less likely than not related to her in-service duties.

The Board found that the withholding of VA disability compensation benefits for 36 days of drill pay in FY 2020 was proper and denied the Veteran's appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis was denied as there is no persuasive evidence that the condition began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee tendonitis were also denied. The Board found that the current flexion and extension limitations do not warrant a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal requires remand due to duty-to-assist errors in previous VA examinations and evaluations. The issues of increased ratings for left knee disability, a compensable rating for left knee scar, service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, and TDIU are all remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for left knee, right knee, and lower back disabilities are remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The VA examinations provided were inadequate for adjudication.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 3, 2020, for a 30 percent rating for her right knee condition is denied as the increase in disability was not factually ascertainable within one year prior to either June 28, 2021 or January 3, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, right shoulder disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability are denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability (to include major depressive disorder and borderline personality disorder) is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for syncope is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back disability and a left knee disability due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's conditions are related to his service-connected right knee and left ankle disabilities, but further medical opinions are needed to address causation and aggravation.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right foot disability, and left foot disability due to incomplete medical records and a need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence and incomplete opinions regarding service connection for various conditions. The claims will be reconsidered with additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance due to use of a right knee brace was denied because the Veteran is not service-connected for a right knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether this condition began during active service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee condition, as secondary to his service-connected left ankle condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to deficiencies in the March 2022 VA examination and a need for additional evidence regarding the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee strain and left knee strain with chondromalacia patellae, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease leading to these conditions.

The Veteran's neck disability manifested by pain is granted as service-connected.,Tinnitus has been assigned the maximum rating authorized under the applicable diagnostic code and no higher rating can be established without a current VA reexamination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee and right hip disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran seeks service connection based on wear and tear from multiple parachute jumps in service, but the VA examinations did not fully address this claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied. The cause of death claim is remanded for further development.