Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeals for a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss and service connection for bursitis, left knee have been dismissed due to the Veteran's explicit withdrawal of these issues during his Board hearing.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent for painful limitation of motion, but not meeting the criteria for a higher rating as flexion and extension are within normal limits.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection has been granted for a back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disability, to include anxiety and depression, have been reopened. The claim for service connection for a back disability, restless leg syndrome (left leg), and restless leg syndrome (right leg) is remanded. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, urinary disability, and joint aches. The Veteran's claims are being remanded to obtain necessary medical opinions and address outstanding records.

The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for right knee disability are denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining medical opinions to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been mainly manifested by pain and discomfort, but not to the extent that it meets the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's right knee instability and meniscal tear are granted with a separate 20 percent rating. The arthritis of the right knee is granted at 10 percent, but not higher.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him substantially confined to his dwelling, the immediate premises, a ward or clinical area of an institution due to a service-connected condition. He does not have one disability that is rated as totally disabling and an additional disability or disabilities that are independently rated or ratable as at least 60 percent disabling.

The Board has reopened the claims for right hip pain and left knee condition, but denied them on their merits.,New evidence was submitted to reopen the claims, but it did not provide sufficient information to establish service connection.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for traumatic osteoarthritis of the right hip and right knee instability have been granted, with a 20% evaluation assigned from November 23, 2021 to the present for traumatic osteoarthritis of the right hip, limitation of flexion.

The Veteran's headache, right foot, and left foot disabilities are found to be related to his active service.,There is no evidence of a sleep disability other than sleep apnea in the record.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his right knee disability and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an updated medical opinion regarding instability of the right knee.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted for the period from November 1, 2019, but not prior to that date. The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran could secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and opinions regarding service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, including status post right-total-knee arthroplasty. The issues include secondary causation and aggravation by other service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II due to the lack of a current diagnosis.,The Board has remanded the claims for right ankle and right knee disabilities as well as respiratory disability (acute bronchitis) for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to a lack of VA knee examinations. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are also on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including tension headaches, allergic rhinitis, asthma with histoplasmosis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome were denied. The Veteran was not granted higher ratings or initial compensable ratings for several of her conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of right knee disability as there is no current diagnosis of a right knee disability.