Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, finding that symptoms were chronic in service and continuous since service. The decision is based on presumptive service connection due to a disease listed under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(a).

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain but has remanded the claim of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease L5-S1 due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 0 percent for left knee scars, finding the persuasive weight of the evidence against the Veteran's claim due to lack of painful or unstable scars affecting more than 6 square inches (39 square centimeters).

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee arthritis, and right knee arthritis are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The VA is required to attempt to obtain outstanding treatment records from the Granbury VA clinic and reschedule a VA examination for his claimed bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and errors in obtaining opinions. The issues of low back strain, left knee condition, and left hip condition are being reviewed.

The Veteran's somatic symptom disorder, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis (claimed as sinus condition), carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity, gastroenteritis, hemorrhoids, iliopsoas tendinitis of the right hip, irritable bowel syndrome, left ankle condition, left flatfoot, left knee condition, right ankle condition, right flatfoot, right knee, sleep apnea, and varicose veins of both lower extremities are all granted.,The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis (claimed as sinus condition), carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity, gastroenteritis, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and varicose veins of both lower extremities are remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the appellant's service connection claims due to insufficient evidence. The initial rating for tinnitus remains denied, and the left elbow contusion is rated as noncompensable. Right wrist sprain also remains denied. Service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, left knee tendonitis, and lumbosacral strain are remanded.

The Veteran's left knee brace caused wear or tear to her outer clothing at an increased rate in 2020, and the Board granted a clothing allowance for this reason.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a left knee condition and denied service connection for this condition. The anxiety disorder evaluation is remanded due to incomplete medical records.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims have been remanded due to the need for further examination or evidence in several cases. The left knee strain claim remains denied, as does all other individual conditions except for those related to service connection.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for her service-connected bilateral knee and right foot disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional examination of her disabilities, including an assessment of flare-ups.

The Board denied service connection for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Left Knee Disorder, Left Shoulder Disorder, Right Shoulder Disorder, and Hypertension as there is no credible evidence of a current disability or link to active duty service.,There was insufficient medical evidence to support the Veteran's claims regarding these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic left foot strain and pain, left knee strain, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5257, 5010-5260, or 5257.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tension headaches, bilateral knee disabilities, and bilateral ankle disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions regarding causation and secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee disability, finding that his pre-existing condition was not aggravated by military service beyond its natural progression.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied because she does not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU based on a single service-connected disability, as her right hip disability alone does not qualify. The Board found that multiple of her service-connected disabilities contribute to her difficulty in maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for sinus disorder, bronchitis, and asthma. Service connection is also granted for right knee and left knee disorders.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of October 27, 2009 for the award of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). The decision is based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities causing impairment that has been inconsistent with obtaining substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's knee disabilities have been granted increased ratings, with the left knee receiving a 20 percent rating and the right knee receiving a 50 percent rating effective June 23, 2024.