Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis is related to her service-connected right total knee arthroplasty residuals, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis and degenerative arthritis of the back have been granted service connection.,An increased rating for left wrist strain is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, low back disability, knee strains, shoulder strain, elbow condition, eye disability, GERD, and anxiety, were granted effective December 18, 2020.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of left and right knee disabilities (claimed as osteoarthritis, bilateral knees).

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of right and left knee disabilities due to a duty to assist error, requiring an adequate medical opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, and requires an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral foot/heel disability and remanded the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee disability and service connection for right knee disability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating, and he is capable of performing substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were evaluated and some ratings were reduced, while others were granted or maintained.,Service connection was established for a right leg discrepancy disability.

The Veteran's vertigo and bilateral knee condition are granted as secondary to service-connected hearing loss. The Veteran's current disabilities of vertigo and bilateral knee condition were found to be proximately due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional VA medical opinions to address the etiology of his claimed bilateral knee, ankle, and foot conditions.

Service connection is granted for left knee degenerative arthritis and instability. Service connection for right knee condition, as secondary to the left knee disability, is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bronchitis and right knee joint pain as secondary to a service-connected condition have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal in July 2024.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, as well as right knee strain. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the right knee issue.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back and right knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in previous VA examinations.,Service connection is not granted as there is no credible evidence that the Veteran's current low back or right knee disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has decided that the AOJ did not consider whether service connection for right hip bursitis is secondary to both left and right knee strain in its May 2021 decision. The case is being remanded to reconsider this issue.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for iliotibial band syndrome, left knee; a low back condition; and a left hip condition were denied. The effective date of the decision is June 21, 2019.

The Board has found that the VA Regional Office (RO) committed pre-decisional duty to assist errors and requires remand for obtaining private medical records related to the Veteran's right knee and hip surgeries, as well as an addendum opinion regarding whether these disabilities are aggravated by her service-connected lower back disability.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including osteoarthritis and internal derangement, is currently rated at 10 percent. The separate ratings for meniscal tear (20%) and moderate instability (20%) are granted effective September 23, 2013, and February 24, 2020 respectively.,The Veteran's left knee disability does not warrant a higher rating as the flexion limitation is at most 70 degrees, which does not meet the criteria for a 20 percent rating under DC 5260.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for his left ankle, right ankle, left knee, or sinus disabilities. His hip disabilities remain denied.