Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, a left hip disability, a back disability, a heart disability, a left knee disability, and a right knee disability. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to military service.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability, a bilateral hip disability, and a lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is presumed to have existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service.,Service connection for the Veteran’s bilateral hip disability and lumbar spine disability were also denied as they did not manifest within one year of discharge from service or are not otherwise related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left knee disability as there is no current disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's left knee disability was manifested by slight lateral instability for the appellate period prior to March 28, 2018. The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent under DC 5257.,The issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee strain and entitlement to a separate compensable rating for a left knee meniscal condition were raised by the pre-decisional evidence of record.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection for discogenic right sciatic radicular pain (partial paralysis right sciatic) as it was granted in a prior rating decision. Service connection was established for other conditions, including chronic sinusitis, PTSD, and various musculoskeletal issues, all presumed related to Southwest Asia service.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been added to the record, warranting readjudication of the claims for service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, and a low back condition. The claims are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate to decide the service connection claims for right knee disability and left elbow strain. The Veteran's reports of in-service injuries, including a truck rollover incident, have not been adequately addressed by the VA examiners. Therefore, remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as bilateral knee conditions, have been dismissed due to the grant of these claims in an August 2021 rating decision. The appeal for service connection for a left knee condition and a right knee condition is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective April 3, 2017. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee strain is directly related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination and medical opinion, as required by 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(c)(4).

The appeal is granted for service connection of PTSD, extraction of 4 wisdom teeth, fractured rib, left ankle pain, left knee pain, left wrist pain, refractive eye surgery, and right shoulder bursitis. The appeals of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and entitlement to service connection for right shoulder bursitis are dismissed as moot.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence regarding a current diagnosis of GERD has been submitted, warranting readjudication of the claim for service connection. The claims for low back disability, right knee disability, and sleep apnea are not warranted for readjudication as no new and relevant evidence has been provided.

The appellant withdrew his appeal for right knee osteoarthritis, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings of his right shoulder, left hip, and left knee disabilities. The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities preventing him from maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee degenerative changes and migraine headaches are being remanded due to inadequate examinations. The case must be returned to the AOJ for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudicating the previously denied claim of service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease. The Veteran's right shoulder replacement is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error, and his right knee degenerative joint disease is also remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and is remanding the claims of entitlement to service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU).