Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and remand directives were not complied with, necessitating another examination for each of the service connection claims.,The Veteran's right knee disability is being examined to determine if it is related to his in-service fall and motor vehicle accident. The examiner will also consider the Veteran’s lay statements regarding these events.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a back condition and left knee condition, finding that new examinations and etiological opinions are needed due to incomplete medical records and conflicting evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and right knee osteoarthritis as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability. The decision is based on the Veteran's active duty service, his reported symptoms during service, and medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's back, right leg, left hip, and knee disorders are being reviewed again with new medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, including right knee strain and degenerative arthritis, finding no nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle disability is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disability to include as secondary to his service-connected bilateral ankle disability is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's lower back disability is granted as service-connected.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives and further development is necessary.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease due to inadequate rationale in the previous VA examination and need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's left knee disability, prior to October 17, 2019, was granted a 20% rating for limitation in extension. From that date onwards, she received an increased rating of 20 percent.

The Veteran's left knee disability is remanded for a new examination to assess the current severity of his condition and for obtaining any outstanding medical records. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee condition and sleep disorder has been reopened, but the claims are still pending as they have not yet been decided on their merits.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination and additional private medical records. The Veteran's TDIU claim is based on his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spines, and migraines. The claim for service connection for migraines is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that his current disability is etiologically related to his service-connected residuals of right knee infrapatellar ligament rupture and repair with degenerative arthritis. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied a compensable initial disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the left knee with limitation of extension, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from June 22, 2016 to June 5, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities. The issue of TDIU subsequent to June 5, 2019 is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee limitation of motion and instability from September 2019 were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, which is required for a higher rating.

The Veteran's increased disability ratings for residuals, fracture of the left femur, with left patellectomy and degenerative arthritis of the left knee, as well as his degenerative arthritis of the right knee, were denied.

The Board has granted the readjudication of the claim for service connection for arthritis of the left knee due to new and relevant evidence. The claims for dysthymic disorder, bipolar disorder, chronic maxillary sinusitis, and hemorrhoids remain pending as they were not successfully reopened.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original 30 percent rating for right knee joint osteoarthritis, finding that the reduction to 10 percent was improper due to inadequate VA examination reports.