Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Parkinson's Disease, a left knee disability, and depression as secondary to Parkinson's Disease due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including headaches, ankle, foot, hip, back, knee, shin, and neurological issues are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for an effective date earlier than May 1, 2020 for the assignment of a 60 percent disability rating for the service-connected right total knee arthroplasty and for the grant of a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU). The remand is due to issues with the adequacy of the January 2020 VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or adaptive equipment, as he does not have a loss of use of his feet, hands, vision impairment, burn injury, ALS, or ankylosis of knees or hips.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is granted as secondary to his service-connected patellofemoral syndrome, right knee with degenerative changes and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The Veteran's allergic rhinitis with chronic sinusitis is granted at a 30% evaluation effective February 5, 2020.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, OSA, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot disability, and left foot disability claims are denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal. The Board cannot issue a decision on the underlying claims and must dismiss this appeal for lack of jurisdiction at this time.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD, TBI, tension headaches, a lumbar spine compression fracture, a right elbow fracture, scars of the right forearm, neuropathy of the right upper extremity, a right wrist fracture, and tinnitus previously found to be service connected for treatment purposes only is dismissed. Service connection for a right knee disability is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings for knee, left and right chondromalacia with degenerative arthritis, cervical paraspinal tendonitis with degenerative disc disease other than IVDS, and lumbar paraspinal tendonitis with degenerative disc disease other than IVDS were denied. The evidence did not show that the Veteran's conditions warranted a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and remanded claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and back disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability due to insufficient evidence of a current diagnosis and no nexus to service.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding no evidence that the Veteran's current knee conditions were related to his military service.

The Veteran was granted a separate rating of 20 percent from November 14, 2014, for a meniscal tear status post partial meniscectomy associated with degenerative joint disease of the right knee and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's increased rating claims for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a bilateral knee condition, left shoulder condition, and neck condition for further development, including scheduling VA examinations to address the Veteran's reported in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as left and right hip conditions due to incomplete review of private treatment records and inadequate opinions.

The Veteran's asthma was granted an earlier effective date of August 20, 2021.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was also granted with an effective date of August 20, 2021.

The Veteran's left knee instability was manifested by slight recurrent instability and did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis were restored to a 50% rating, effective February 5, 2022. Increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral and sciatic nerves) and left knee limitation of extension were granted. Effective dates of May 25, 2021, were assigned for the increased ratings.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of his appeal by his authorized representative.