Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for left and right knee arthritis, as well as the claim for spermatocele.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral knee disability was erroneously docketed and dismissed due to a claims processing error. A decision has already been issued granting the claim in another stream of appeals.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to service connection for various conditions, with some issues being remanded and others having their decisions left pending further development.,No effective date earlier than May 25, 2021 was granted for the adjustment disorder with anxiety.

The Board has granted service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy and denied the claims for increased ratings for acquired psychiatric disorder, back disability, and left knee disability. The appeal is granted in part.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome due to inadequate medical opinions regarding preexistence of these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and increased rating claims, so the cases are dismissed.

The Veteran's death was not caused by or related to his service-connected disabilities. The appellant is denied DIC benefits, survivors pension benefits, and accrued benefits.

The Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error with respect to the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities. The Veteran is being remanded for additional VA medical opinions to address his lay statements regarding continuity of symptoms from service.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher initial evaluations for the service-connected spinal stenosis with arthritis, right knee strain, left knee strain, right foot strain, and left foot strain. The Veteran's hip extension impairment is also being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral ankle and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of osteoarthritis are related to his active service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete examination data, and a new VA examination is needed to assess the severity of the right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA under Chapter 35 were denied as the evidence does not support a finding that he was employed full-time prior to September 2, 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities are secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for amputation, right hip disorder, right knee disorder, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder due to a lack of VA examinations conducted during the appeal period.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's tinnitus does not warrant a rating in excess of the current 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, low back pain, and headaches due to a lack of diagnosed or identifiable disabilities at the time of the June 1995 rating decisions. The AOJ applied then-binding law which held that pain alone without a diagnosed condition is not sufficient for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has determined that there were duty to assist errors in the previous rating decision and remanded the cases for further development. The Veteran's claims of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, bilateral knee disabilities, and right hand disabilities are now before the Board again.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left knee pain is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the Board finds that the Veteran's reports of a left knee injury during service are not credible.,Service connection for head injury residuals (including headaches) is denied because the Veteran has not provided evidence of a separate diagnosis apart from the headache issue already on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee degenerative arthritis and dermatitis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his knees and right hand De Quervain's disease were dismissed. The claim for a higher evaluation for the right hand condition was granted with a rating of 10 percent.