Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has denied service connection for left ankle and left knee disorders, as well as left leg pain. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claims for right knee condition, left foot disorder, left knee disorder, and right foot disorder are remanded due to duty to assist errors prior to the February 2020 rating decision. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and thus grants his claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's right knee disability, which is currently being treated while incarcerated. The Veteran seeks service connection for this condition as secondary to his already service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding her service-connected left knee disability and related issues.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected right knee instability and limited flexion are being remanded due to the need for updated examination findings.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities need further examination to determine if they are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of left knee DJD, including as secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability. The case will be reviewed again with additional evidence and an addendum opinion from a clinician.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left knee, ruptured Achilles tendon, and lumbar spine disabilities. The Veteran appealed these decisions to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court), which vacated the January 2018 decision in part and remanded the matter back to the Board.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right knee condition and a right knee scar due to potential secondary service connection to his service-connected total left knee replacement. The case is being returned for further development, including an addendum opinion from the examiner who conducted the August 2020 examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in the VA examination report, and a new opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability is related to service.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including post-surgical ACL reconstruction and degenerative arthritis, is rated at 10 percent. The Board denied a higher rating as the flexion limitation does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by limitation of flexion and instability, is rated at 30 percent for the entire rating period on appeal. Higher ratings are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and a left foot disability, including heel pain, pes planus, and hallux valgus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate development and compliance with previous remands. The issues include knee, shoulder, elbow, neck, and foot disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that resulted in current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability rendered him unemployable, and the Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and TDIU due to issues with his right knee disabilities, PTSD, and service-connected conditions. The VA is instructed to obtain all relevant records and provide the Veteran with a new examination.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to her in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to secondary service connection etiology opinions, as well as new VA examinations. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.