Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for TDIU and DEA benefits prior to June 20, 2011 were denied as the evidence did not show he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to ratings in excess of 10 percent for GERD, right knee contusion with clinical lateral meniscus tear, and lumbar spondylosis and lumbar muscle spasm. The Veteran's joint complaints are related to his bilateral hands, knees, and shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are rated at the maximum allowed under the applicable diagnostic codes, with no additional evaluations granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right rib and right knee disorders due to inadequate medical opinions addressing the Veteran's credible testimony regarding continuous symptoms since military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a lumbar spine condition, and a right knee condition have been granted.,Other issues such as the right arm nerve problem with tingling from fingers to shoulder and the right leg condition are still pending.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and granted a 10% rating for the Veteran's right knee disability prior to November 1, 2007. However, it also denied any higher ratings for the right knee disability since that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU. The right knee disability is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the VA examination report and for further development, including obtaining outstanding records and providing a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal of the denial of service connection for a right knee disability has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for posttraumatic patellofemoral arthritis, left knee should be remanded due to insufficient consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claim for increased rating for postoperative left tibial plateau fracture with a meniscal tear is denied, but the issue of service connection for this condition will be remanded. The claim for increased rating for left knee surgical scar is also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's left leg disability is related to his service-connected lower back condition and whether it was aggravated by that condition. The TDIU issue is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the service connection claim.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee meniscus tear with DJD, finding that his symptoms did not warrant such an increase.

The Board has remanded the claims of increased ratings for left and right knee arthritis due to insufficient evidence in the August 2016 VA examination.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in January 2020 were inadequate and remanded for further examination. The Veteran's cervical spine disorder, left ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorders, and left foot disorder are all being remanded for additional evaluations.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for osteoarthritis of the low back, bilateral hearing loss, renal condition, right hip disability, cervical spondylosis, left knee disability, and left hand disability as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to January 27, 2014, for the awards of service connection for a cervical spine disability and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to February 13, 2020, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,Service connection for left knee chondromalacia patella, residuals of patellar dislocation, is denied. An initial 10 percent rating for left knee residuals of torn ACL is granted.

The case is REMANDED for further development and adjudication, including consideration of a TDIU claim.