Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran's retroactive VA compensation benefits totaling $19,171.00 and $13,421.00 were properly paid via direct deposit to his bank account at Comerica Bank in 2012. The appeal is denied as the Veteran did not receive these payments.

The Board has remanded the claims for left shoulder strain, lower back pain, right foot pain, left foot pain, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.,Service connection is denied for right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for a right elbow condition, left knee contusion, and right ankle sprain.,Reasons include credible statements of the Veteran regarding his symptoms in service and continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip, knee, and ankle disabilities due to potential pre-decisional duty to assist errors in obtaining adequate VA opinions regarding secondary service connection.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the promulgation of a decision, leaving no issues for review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various foot and knee conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and SSA disability benefits records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a heart murmur.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee condition, left knee condition, lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, anxiety, lateral collateral ligament sprain of the right ankle, and osteoarthritis of the right hip as secondary to pes planus (severe), hammer toes, hallux valgus.,The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder as secondary to pes planus (severe), hammer toes, hallux valgus.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to the current level of impairment.,Further VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran has a recurrent sinus disability and its relationship to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection and insufficient evidence to support presumptive service connection. The Board also found conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the condition is secondary or aggravated by his service-connected hallux rigidus.

The Board has granted service connection for sinusitis and left knee disability, but has remanded the right knee disability claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability and a psychiatric disability (depressive disorder). The Veteran's current diagnoses of left knee strain, degenerative arthritis, and depressive disorder are supported by the evidence. The Board found that there is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions had their onset during service.,The decision also notes that the Veteran reported symptoms such as pain and anxiety during service, which may have contributed to his current psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings related to his right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and clarification regarding the evaluation of pain during range of motion testing.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for the remaining conditions listed.

The Board has denied service connection for depression, anxiety, right shoulder condition, left knee condition, and right knee condition. Service connection is granted for allergic rhinitis and sinusitis due to the PACT Act presumption of exposure to burn pits or other toxins.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain, right knee strain, and right wrist sprain were denied. The evidence did not support a higher rating for any of the conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was granted effective November 14, 2019. The Board found that the criteria for an earlier effective date of June 21, 2017 were met.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral spine degenerative disk disease, chondromalacia patella of the left knee, and chondromalacia patella of the right knee, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's right eye and right knee disabilities were denied service connection due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.,Service connection for hypertension was also denied as there is no evidence showing the condition manifested within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD, left knee disability, right shoulder disability, left ankle disability, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral foot peripheral neuropathy is dismissed. The claims of service connection for TBI, anxiety disorder with panic attacks, GERD, and female hypoactive sexual desire disorder are remanded.