Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 30 percent prior to December 4, 2018 due to limitation of motion. A higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been rated at 20 percent since May 1, 2011.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, including a rating for right knee prior to June 15, 2012 and ratings for left and right knee instability. The case is now pending further review.

The Veteran's appeals for ratings in excess of 30 percent for his right and left knee disabilities prior to October 1, 2014 and June 1, 2017 were denied. The Board has remanded these issues due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development of the record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeals of her right knee disability rating and TDIU due to inadequate examination reports in prior decisions. The case is being returned for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease, but the claims for left hip disability and cervical spine disability are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding causation or aggravation.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations for his right knee conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal prior to a final decision.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for left knee degenerative arthritis was denied as her condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right thigh, left knee, and right knee conditions. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to military service or a pre-existing condition.

The Board has determined that the claims of service connection for lumbar-spine disorder, right-knee disorder, left-knee disorder, cervical spine disorder (to include as secondary to service-connected left-shoulder disorder), and increased disability evaluation in excess of 20 percent for a left-shoulder disorder need further examination and opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee injury, patella fracture, post-operative and remanded the issues of service connection for stomach condition and lumbar spine disability. The case is now being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has decided that a remand is needed to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, specifically whether it is related to active service and/or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the issue of a separate, compensable rating for headaches associated with service-connected hypertension due to insufficient examination reports addressing the frequency and severity of the Veteran's headaches.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in the loss of use of both lower extremities, necessitating the regular and constant use of a wheelchair, cane, leg braces, or crutches. The Board has granted specially adapted housing and automobile and adaptive equipment for these reasons.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right hip disability and right and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine if his current hip and knee conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee total knee replacement, left hip strain, and salpingo-oophorectomy due to potential new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded multiple issues including psychiatric disorder, bilateral leg disability, right foot and left foot disabilities, back disorder, bilateral hand disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and Reiter’s syndrome due to procedural errors and the Veteran's incarceration.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for chronic hemorrhoids was dismissed because he withdrew his appeal. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left-knee strain.

The Board has decided the increased rating claim for left ankle sprain status-post Watson-Jones reconstruction, but has remanded the service connection claim for right knee status post meniscus tear with degenerative arthritis as secondary to the service-connected left ankle.