Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of VA treatment records.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis and IVDS, is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and right knee instability are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his request.,Service connection is granted for right foot plantar fasciitis secondary to service-connected left foot plantar fasciitis. The Board finds that the Veteran's right foot plantar fasciitis is caused by his service-connected left foot plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from February 27, 2020 is dismissed as moot because he has a combined 100% disability rating and does not meet the criteria for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) due to being permanently housebound.

The Veteran's SMC(l) was granted based on his service-connected prostate cancer, metastatic cancer of the back, ribs, and pelvis, and metastatic cancer of the lymphatic system. The Board found that he has additional disabilities independently ratable at 50 percent or more, including RUE peripheral neuropathy, diabetes with erectile dysfunction, LLE peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve, RLE peripheral neuropathy, femoral nerve, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, and right clavicle fracture residuals. The Veteran is now entitled to SMC(m 1/2) based on these additional disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders due to inadequate VA medical opinions in previous decisions.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates for his right knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left knee meniscal tear with osteoarthritis is remanded due to the inadequacy of the December 2020 VA examination, which did not include estimated range of motion measurements considering functional loss.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, and a right ankle condition due to their relationship with his service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's appeal of the increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was erroneously docketed and dismissed as a matter of law.,Service connection for a right hip disability, arthritis, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, back disability, and left knee disability were denied due to lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of various service-connected conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation in any of these cases.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders, as secondary to service-connected bilateral hip strains. The case will be reviewed with a focus on whether there is evidence of onset in service or aggravation by service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder (psychiatric disability) and right knee injury residuals via obesity, finding that the Veteran's psychiatric and right knee disabilities caused or aggravated his obesity, which was a substantial factor in causing his OSA.

The Board has denied service connection for back, left ankle, right ankle, and left hip disabilities. The appeal for service connection of the right knee disability is pending.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, diagnosed as right knee strain, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the service connection for left knee strain.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment since June 30, 2018. The Board has granted a TDIU effective July 1, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee disability and bilateral plantar fasciitis due to insufficient evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service. The AOJ is instructed to schedule VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's current disabilities, including whether they are related to his service.

The Board has restored a 10% disability rating for degenerative arthritis, other than post-traumatic right knee (limitation of flexion), effective December 8, 2025, finding that the reduction was improper due to insufficient evidence of improvement in the Veteran's condition.

The Veteran's bladder disability claim is denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability or causal relationship to service.,Tinnitus has been granted as the Board finds that it first manifested during active service and is related to service.