Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee tendonitis with shin splints is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed left ankle strain, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder as there was no probative evidence linking these conditions to her service-connected bilateral foot disorders.

Your appeal for service connection regarding left and right knee disabilities has been dismissed as the appellant's authorized representative requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has granted effective dates of December 27, 2020 for service connection of bilateral tinnitus with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), lumbosacral strain, right knee iliotibial band syndrome, and left ankle tendinopathy.

The reduction of the rating for a right knee disability (based on limitation of flexion) from 10 percent disabling to noncompensable effective October 27, 2021, was improper and restored.,Entitlement to increased ratings for various disabilities remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims have been denied. The Board found no evidence of ankylosis, instability, or other conditions warranting separate ratings. The Veteran's residuals from his left foot fracture do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided were inadequate and remanded for further examination to determine if the Veteran has current diagnoses for his claimed disabilities, including pain with functional impairment. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for these additional evaluations.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating claims related to anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, a nerve condition, and a right knee disability. The Veteran's hypertension was not rated higher than 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's back pain is aggravated by his service-connected left and/or right knee Osgood-Schlatter's disease, and whether obesity served as an intermediate step in causing his back pain.

The Veteran is granted a separate 20 percent disability rating for his right knee meniscal tear, resolving the issue of entitlement to such.,His other issues regarding left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as they do not warrant higher ratings.

The Board has granted readjudication of the claims for bilateral tinnitus, left shoulder injury, right knee condition, and left knee ACL injury. The Veteran's claim for service connection for these conditions is being remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for right and left knee disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran is not entitled to higher ratings based on his current symptoms, as they do not meet the criteria for ankylosis or other specific diagnostic codes.

The Board has dismissed all the Veteran's claims as his death occurred during the pendency of these appeals.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting the VA definition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety, is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.,Claims for a back disability and right and left knee disabilities are also denied as there is insufficient evidence connecting these conditions to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and needs additional medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is granted as service-connected. The issues of increased ratings for the right elbow, back, left knee, and skin disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The initial 10 percent rating for scar, residual colon resection was granted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, as these conditions are considered manifestations of previously service-connected disabilities. The appeals for type two diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, urinary incontinence secondary to prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction secondary to prostate cancer or post-operative residuals of left knee Osgood-Schlatter's disease have been remanded due to the need for additional development regarding possible exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left knee, thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus have been dismissed due to procedural error.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that it is proximately due to his service-connected retropatellar pain syndrome of the left knee.