Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following any substantially gainful occupation, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left ankle conditions, as well as a right knee disability secondary to those conditions. The remand requires obtaining an adequate VA medical opinion that reconciles conflicting evidence of record.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right knee chondromalacia, and the Board dismissed the issue as a matter of law.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The claims will be remanded for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent prior to July 17, 2015, for service-connected PTSD is dismissed as the March 2021 rating decision implementing the February 2021 Board decision is considered final.

The Board dismissed the appeal of the issues regarding service connection for bilateral shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, and right knee disability due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities are granted, while the claims for skin, shoulder, and low back conditions are denied. The effective dates for these decisions have not been specified.

The appeals of the denial of service connection for various conditions are dismissed due to the AMA effective date. The Veteran's initial ratings for hemorrhoids and asthma are granted.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, including degenerative arthritis and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, is related to his service in the Airborne units where he performed many jumps. Service connection for this condition is granted.,While the Veteran has a history of sinus symptoms, no current diagnosis of a separate sinus condition other than vasomotor rhinitis was found during the pendency of the claim. Therefore, service connection for a sinus condition (other than service-connected vasomotor rhinitis) is denied.,There are no scars on the Veteran's trunk as diagnosed or noted in his medical records. Service connection for a trunk scar is denied.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with bilateral knee scars during the pendency of the claim, and these were not related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including panic disorder, bilateral shoulder disabilities, and left knee disabilities, have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment from September 27, 2016, to October 11, 2022. The Board has granted a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for this period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee injury was initially denied in 1988, but the VA received a new claim on September 7, 2022. The Board has granted an effective date of September 7, 2022 for this service connection.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a duty to assist error involving employment records from his former employers.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis with associated total knee replacement residuals and left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, right hip, and left hip disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal to restore a 20 percent evaluation for left knee instability is dismissed because the VA Form 10182, which was submitted by the Veteran, is not a valid method of appealing a Board decision.

The Veteran's reduction in rating for thoracolumbar spine scoliosis from 20 percent to 10 percent was not proper, and the 20 percent rating is restored.,The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee osteoarthritis, and bilateral plantar fasciitis remains pending.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on five separate conditions (diabetes mellitus, type II; low back disability; right knee disability; left knee disability; and sleep apnea) have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and depression was granted in full. The Board dismissed the issue as moot due to the grant of benefits.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left knee and right knee conditions have been dismissed due to his death while the appeal was pending.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder is linked to his high blood pressure, which has been granted a disability rating of 10 percent.,The Veteran's right hand burn scars are painful and cover an area less than 929 square centimeters, qualifying for a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for bilateral knee disability, hernia, and sleep apnea as the appellant (or their representative) withdrew the appeal prior to a decision being made.