The Board remands the claims for service connection for chronic pain due to bilateral total knee arthroplasty, pes planus with plantar fasciitis, and a bilateral hearing loss disability to cure pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
The deciding factor: The April 2024 VA medical opinions were found inadequate as they improperly based their conclusions on the absence of evidence in the Veteran's STRs and post-service treatment records. Additionally, outstanding private treatment records need to be obtained from the Cleveland Clinic and Avon Hospital.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic pain due to bilateral total knee arthroplasty right knee, chronic pain due to bilateral total knee arthroplasty left knee, pes planus with plantar fasciitis, bilateral hearing loss disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 7, 2025
- Citation
- A25021122
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