Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran's right knee disability, both ankle disabilities (deltoid ligament sprain), and PTSD have been granted service connection. The Veteran is now rated at 50 percent for his PTSD, with increased evaluations for the ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, which warranted a discharge for disability at the time of separation from service, qualifies him for VA home loan guaranty benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder, hypertension secondary to bipolar disorder, and left knee disability have been granted. The rating for low back strain with degenerative arthritis has been increased from 10% to 20%. Other issues are either denied or remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a cervical spine disability, all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back and/or right ankle disabilities. The rating of 50 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis is also granted from October 7, 2019.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back condition, right knee condition, and left knee condition on a secondary basis to his service-connected bilateral feet and hip conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for VA examinations. The Veteran's conditions are related to his Gulf War service, but specific diagnoses and etiologies require further investigation.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip and right knee disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right foot disability, finding that the current disabilities are aggravated beyond their natural progression by this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ankle strain, right knee pain, and complex regional pain syndrome with traumatic arthritis, right foot due to a duty to assist error in adjudicating her September 2019 claim for a temporary total evaluation following her right ankle surgery. The issues are now inextricably intertwined as the Veteran testified that these conditions are all related.

The Board has granted an effective date of April 2, 2001 for the grant of service connection for a right knee disorder and February 18, 1971 for the acquired psychiatric disorder. These decisions are based on evidence showing the Veteran had these conditions during his military service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left foot plantar fascitis and a compensable disability rating for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome due to her withdrawal of these claims.

The Veteran is not competent to manage his VA funds and the appeal is denied.

The Board has granted an initial 10 percent rating for right knee strain and left knee strain, both rated based on painful noncompensable limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of left and right knee disabilities have been readjudicated, with the decision to grant new evidence resulting in a remand for further examination.

The Veteran's bilateral knee osteoarthritis is granted service connection. However, his right and left ankle osteoarthritis claims are denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or chronic symptomatology.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left knee strain and sleep apnea are service-connected. However, due to a lack of available service treatment records for his Marine Corps Reserve service, the case is being remanded to attempt to obtain these records.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of a right knee condition with altered gait, asthma/hyperrespiratory, and left knee disability due to procedural errors in placing the appeal under the modernized VA appeals system.

The Veteran's appeal for hypertension was withdrawn by the Veteran before a decision could be made. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,The Veteran's right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, low back disorder, and cervical spine disorder claims are remanded due to conflicting diagnoses and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's right knee surgery did not necessitate a period of convalescence of at least one month, so the temporary total rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 is denied.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee recurrent subluxations, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral knee disorder was not aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee, right hip, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.