Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right knee disability was denied. Separate ratings of 10 percent were granted for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, effective from April 6, 2020. The appeals for permanent ratings of low back, cervical spine, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities were also denied.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee strain, finding that the evidence did not support such an increase based on painful motion and limitation of flexion to 45 degrees.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding causation and aggravation. The AOJ is instructed to obtain private treatment records and provide addendum medical opinions from qualified clinicians.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for hearing loss, back disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, right leg disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, while his other disabilities are not linked to service.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for various joint and headache disabilities are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports that did not consider all of the Veteran's symptomology.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain and bilateral knee strain, finding the evidence against a nexus to service.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including his scars and total knee arthroplasty, is rated at a maximum of 60 percent effective September 1, 2023.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service treatment records and service personnel records from his Coast Guard reserve service may contain relevant information regarding his right knee disability. The AOJ is instructed to review these additional records in conjunction with adjudicating the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of evidence supporting the conditions prior to August 4, 2021.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of left knee instability, limitation of flexion, and limitation of extension due to lack of evidence submitted within one year of previous denials.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence related to the Veteran's claim for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been received since the May 2023 rating decision. The claims of increased ratings for cervical spine strain, right shoulder arthralgia, right knee arthralgia based on limitation of flexion, left knee arthralgia based on limitation of flexion, and entitlement to a 40 percent rating, but no higher, for right knee arthralgia based on limitation of extension from October 28, 2024 to February 25, 2025 are remanded.

The appeals for service connection have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's tinnitus, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right knee condition, right shoulder condition, and thoracolumbar spine condition are all granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of April 6, 2018 for a 50 percent evaluation for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder is granted. The Board also remanded the issues regarding increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative arthritis.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various joint and musculoskeletal disorders, including bilateral hip and knee joint disorder, bilateral foot disorder, bilateral leg disorder, low back disorder, and neck disorder. The appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination for tinnitus.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right and left knee disorders have been granted ratings and effective dates as specified. TDIU was granted from January 23, 2020 onwards.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disability is secondary to his service-connected left knee disability and remands for further development.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's low back disability, right and left knee disabilities, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy are secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability. As a result, the claims of entitlement to service connection for these conditions have been granted.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant requested withdrawal of his appeal concerning service connection for knee injuries, foot bone spurs, and tuberculosis exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been dismissed due to their death.