Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective September 20, 2018, based on his service-connected disabilities resulting in a combined rating of 90 percent.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disability and did not warrant readjudication of the left knee or low back disability claims due to lack of relevant new evidence.

The Board has determined that the AOJ committed a pre-decisional duty to assist error by relying on inadequate VA examination opinions in denying service connection for left hip arthritis and left knee arthritis. The appeal is being remanded to obtain adequate etiological opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of left and right knee conditions due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's testimony indicates that he sustained injuries during service, but further medical examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee conditions, attributing the etiology to parachute jumps during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches. Bilateral hearing loss, back disability, hip disabilities (left and right), knee disabilities (right and left), and shoulder disabilities (right and left) are all remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU, finding that entitlement did not arise prior to April 8, 2014. The decision states there is no lay or medical evidence showing the Veteran was unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities before this date.

The Veteran's initial claim of a higher rating for his service-connected left knee strain is being remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports. The case will be returned for an updated evaluation and the provision of adequate range of motion testing.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, as the current VA medical opinion is inadequate.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a left knee disability and evaluation of a right knee disability due to insufficient evidence or procedural errors. The Veteran's left knee disability is not considered secondary to his service-connected right knee disability, and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence that it was aggravated by his service-connected condition.

The appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's nephrolithiasis was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, and his right knee disability, osteoarthritis of the left and right achilles tendons are also not related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether a preexisting right knee injury was aggravated by an in-service bumping incident at a VA facility. The Veteran's argument about VA making an error is also being considered.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been granted a rating of 60 percent effective from November 1, 2017.,Special monthly compensation (SMC) for the period April 11, 2019 to present is also granted.

The Veteran is granted service connection for right knee arthritis and a right knee meniscus tear, which likely resulted from active duty service. The Veteran is also granted service connection for left knee arthritis, which likely resulted from active duty service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and fibromyalgia were granted. The appeal for TMJ dysfunction and chest pain secondary to fibromyalgia is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral foot, leg/knee, hip, headache, psychiatric, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were related to in-service events.

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 40% and his left knee disability is rated at 10%. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted for either condition during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's right knee disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling for flexion and noncompensable for extension. The ratings are denied.