Knee decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for cervical and lumbar degenerative disc disease, as well as left and right shoulder disabilities manifested by pain, popping, and limitation of motion. Service connection for a right knee disability is dismissed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the issues regarding left and right knee degenerative arthritis, leading to their dismissal.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 60 percent from July 1, 2019 to October 14, 2019. Service connection for a left knee disability secondary to the right knee disability is granted.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various disabilities, including back disability, right and left knee disabilities, hand disabilities, and foot disabilities due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and denied the claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis, low back disorder, left lower extremity numbness, right lower extremity numbness, left upper extremity numbness, right upper extremity numbness, and tension headaches.

The rating reduction for the appellant's right knee disability was improper, and his disability rating of 50 percent is restored effective December 1, 2022. The issues on appeal are entitlement to a higher rating for limitation of motion of the right knee and TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease, bilateral hip disabilities, bilateral knee disabilities, and lumbar disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for right knee disability and right knee scar because the Veteran did not attend scheduled VA examinations. The Board finds a predecisional duty to assist error due to the failure to properly notify the Veteran of the examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee strain, lumbosacral strain, and unspecified anxiety disorder were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding no evidence that his current condition is related to his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD, anxiety, depression, coronary artery disease secondary to psychiatric disability, chronic right ankle pain, chronic left ankle pain, and chronic right knee pain as there is no current evidence of a diagnosed condition.,The Veteran's claims were based on his belief that he developed these conditions during active duty. However, the Board found insufficient medical evidence to support this claim.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome was granted service connection effective January 6, 2021. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right ankle, shoulder, and knee disabilities as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including neck, shoulder, hip, wrist, thumb, psychiatric disorders, foot pain, flatfeet, hearing loss, and knee conditions due to lack of evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrences.,Service connection was not granted as the Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence of a current disability.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and opinion provided are insufficient to address whether the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are secondary to his service-connected shin splints, ankle sprain, strain, and/or plantar fasciitis. The case is therefore being remanded for further clarification.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a bilateral knee disability, left shoulder disability, hypertension, and sleep disability due to duty-to-assist errors. Service connection is granted for allergic rhinitis.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to incomplete records. The VA must attempt to obtain all relevant medical records, including those from the Louisville VAMC from January 2012 through March 2022.

The appeal for bilateral falling arches is dismissed. The Veteran's hypertension claim was denied, and the knee conditions are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for initial compensable disability ratings for various elbow and knee conditions due to a lack of information regarding the frequency, severity, duration, and characteristics of flare-ups during VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral spine degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, right knee medial femoral condyle fracture and patellofemoral syndrome, left knee instability, and right knee instability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.