Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for various foot and knee conditions due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for upper back disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and disabilities manifesting in both arms due to a lack of current disabilities related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee pain and right hip pain due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's left knee disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis of the left knee, is related to documented in-service injury and diagnosis. The Board finds that service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,The Board found that an effective date earlier than November 30, 2010, for service connection of left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and left ankle degenerative arthritis with tendonitis is denied.

The Veteran's 30% rating for left knee extension was reduced to noncompensable effective September 19, 2019. The 20% rating for left knee flexion was also reduced to 10% effective September 19, 2019.,Both reductions were deemed proper based on improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability, based on evidence showing an antalgic gait pattern and direct relationship between the disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pericarditis, stress fracture of the right lower tibia, left knee injury, hypertension (claimed as high blood pressure), and lower back pain due to lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied a separate rating for left knee limitation of extension. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have its onset during service, while his left knee disability does not show any limitation of extension warranting a compensable rating.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability is remanded due to an inadequate opinion from the May 2019 VA examiner. The examiner only considered lack of treatment in service and did not adequately address other potential causes.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of high triglycerides, bilateral hearing loss, migraines, prostate cancer, leukemia, right knee disability, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. Service connection was granted for hypertension and chronic kidney disease on a secondary basis due to hypertension. The appeal for a sleep disorder (including insomnia) was denied as there is no evidence linking it to service or any service-connected condition. Service connection for left knee disability was also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for prostate disability, hypertension (HTN), acquired psychiatric disorder, right shoulder and hip disabilities, hepatitis C, bilateral pes planus, left shin splint, left hip disability, right shin splint, neck disability, right knee disability, and bilateral plantar fasciitis due to pre-decisional errors in the development process.

The Veteran's right knee disability, post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA), is rated at 20 percent and the appeal seeks a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left total knee arthroplasty with arthroscopies has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has found that the RO's adjudication of the claims without obtaining VA examinations is a pre-decisional duty to assist error and requires remanding for further action, including scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases of basic eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adaptive housing and entitlement to a special home adaptation grant due to concerns about the adequacy of the evidence provided by the VA examination.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has restored the Veteran's right knee disability rating from 40% to 10%, effective June 1, 2021, as the reduction was improper and not supported by evidence of improvement in function.

The Veteran requested to withdraw their appeal regarding the service connection for a back condition as secondary to Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee and the service connection for a right knee condition associated with Osgood-Schlatter's disease. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.