Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal should be re-docketed under the Legacy system and his March 2019 VA Form 10182 is accepted as a timely NOD for the issues on appeal. The Veteran will have the opportunity to request a hearing before the Board or file a substantive appeal.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for various conditions, including right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbar spine disability, left wrist disability, and right knee disability. The Veteran was previously granted service connection for these conditions in prior rating decisions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to new evidence received after the June 2020 SOC.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain a substantially gainful occupation from October 20, 2009, to December 31, 2011, and from January 1, 2013, to October 1, 2019. The Board affords the Veteran the benefit of doubt in finding that his service-connected disabilities alone resulted in unemployability during these periods.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating of right knee arthritis due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

Effective October 1, 2016, the Veteran's claims for lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD), left knee osteoarthritis, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, tinnitus, and right wrist ganglion cyst have been granted.,The effective date of service connection for traumatic brain injury with photophobia and cognitive deficits with posttraumatic stress disorder, posttraumatic headaches, and a right ankle condition is July 29, 2018.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities were granted increased ratings of 30 percent each from October 17, 2014 to February 8, 2023.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee and left knee disabilities, but has remanded the cases of right hip and left hip disabilities.,Service connection was not granted for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation due to unclear functional loss associated with the service-connected right knee and left knee disabilities, as well as the need for additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's right knee strain has been granted service connection. The initial rating for left knee strain remains denied, and a separate rating of 10 percent is granted for left knee instability.,Service connection for bilateral hand condition and bilateral foot condition are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar spine disorder, and the remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claim for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is granted. The claims for service connection for Right Knee Disability, Left Knee Disability, and Sleep Apnea are remanded due to the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was denied due to the lack of corroborated in-service stressor. The right knee disability claim is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, right knee, and PTSD disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to November 30, 2018. The Board has remanded the matter for extraschedular TDIU consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding medical records and additional evidence. The AOJ is instructed to obtain these records, consider all added evidence on remand, and provide examinations to determine if his right knee disability is related to service or service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, as well as whether any lower extremity disabilities are related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of this condition.,Service connection for depression is denied because there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or treatment related to the claimed disability.,The Veteran's claims for right hand and left knee disabilities are denied due to lack of diagnosed conditions.,Left hip disability claim is also denied as there is no current diagnosis.,New and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim for service connection for spina bifida, thus the claim remains denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a sleep disorder is dismissed as the appellant withdrew his claims prior to the promulgation of a decision. The Board also remanded several other issues including service connection for bilateral foot disability, chronic fatigue, major depressive disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee strain with history of Baker's cyst and effusion, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU), and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need of regular aid and attendance of another.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to provide a reasoned medical explanation. The issues include left knee, bilateral hip, bilateral leg, back, gastrointestinal, and hypertension disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's bilateral knee condition and TDIU claim prior to December 2, 2015. The VA examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's bilateral knee disability was incurred in or related to his active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, finding that his current condition is not causally related to service.