Knee decisions — 2024

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding severance of service connection for left knee strain with degenerative arthritis, chondromalacia patellar, and meniscal tear effective June 1, 2020.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent prior to September 10, 2020, and 40 percent thereafter. The issues of increased ratings for the lumbar spine and left knee strain are remanded.,The issue of an earlier effective date for TDIU is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent her from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment, and the Board finds in favor of granting TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, and bilateral hip disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.,Specifically, the Veteran was rated at 10 percent for each of his knees due to limited range of motion without incapacitating exacerbations.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of October 23, 2013 for the Veteran's right leg amputation below the knee and related disabilities. The decision also addressed increased ratings and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, melanoma, right knee replacement as secondary to bilateral pes planus, and sleep apnea due to potential duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's service connection claims for low back disability, bilateral hip osteoarthritis, and bilateral knee osteoarthritis are granted. The Board found that the Veteran experienced pain during Airborne training in service and has had these conditions since then.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee strain, pseudofolliculitis barbae, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral elbow strain, and sleep apnea. The evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities began during active service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of right ankle, right knee, and left knee conditions due to a lack of inpatient/outpatient treatment records from Wiesbaden Air Base Hospital. The Veteran contends that his injuries were caused by a fall out of a second-story window during military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right shin splints, but the issues of service connection for bilateral knee disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for clothing allowances were denied because the evidence did not show that her knee braces or cane caused damage to her outer garments, and shoes are not considered clothing for VA purposes.,The Veteran was found to have multiple service-connected disabilities including PTSD, lumbosacral strain, bilateral hearing loss and bronchitis, right and left knee conditions, tinnitus, and radiculopathy. However, the evidence did not show that her knee braces or cane caused damage to her outer garments.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed for the Veteran's claims related to his right knee and ankle disorders, as well as a remand for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the VA examination reports. The Veteran's complaints of knee pain during service are noted, but further evaluation is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's conditions are due to his parachute jumps in service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability.

The Veteran's right and left knee retropatellar pain syndrome are granted with a rating of 20 percent each.,The effective date for the award of service connection for right and left knee retropatellar pain syndrome is set at April 2, 2020.

The Board denied service connection for left knee and left shoulder disabilities, finding no evidence of in-service injuries or diseases that could be linked to the current conditions. The onset of symptoms was many years after service separation.

The Board has identified a duty to assist error and requires a remand for an examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right total knee replacement.

The Board has granted effective dates of December 7, 2015 for the service connection of bilateral flat foot with degenerative arthritis, left knee strain with shin splints, right knee strain with shin splints, right ankle degenerative arthritis, and left ankle degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's SMC from January 5, 2018, to April 12, 2023, is granted at the rate under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(n) due to his service-connected disabilities.