Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70 percent rating from July 18, 2017 to June 28, 2019. The right knee replacement and peripheral neuropathy ratings remain denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee arthritis and degenerative arthritis of the back and hips, as secondary to service-connected right knee disability due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including right shoulder disorder, knee disorders, ankle disorders, foot disorders, respiratory disorder, and upper extremity neuropathy. The remand requires additional medical opinions on the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to lack of limitation in range of motion or instability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of assigned percentages for his bilateral knee disabilities and for entitlement to a TDIU due to incomplete examination reports.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to higher disability ratings for right ankle, sacroiliac joint, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as the assigned disability ratings for her left and right knee conditions do not adequately reflect their severity.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, to include as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability, is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions. The claim for direct service connection based on wear-and-tear caused by in-service activities is also remanded.

The Veteran's left knee instability is granted a rating of 20 percent for the entire appellate period, while his right fifth metacarpal fracture with traumatic arthritis and left knee chondromalacia are each rated at their current levels.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current symptoms and functional impairment of the service-connected right knee disabilities, including the scar.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability and bilateral hearing loss, but granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus.,Service connection was not established for the left knee disability or bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. However, the Veteran's current diagnosis of bilateral tinnitus is supported by his lay statements regarding symptoms experienced during service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities, as well as bilateral hearing loss, were denied. He was granted separate 10% ratings for each knee under Diagnostic Code 5257 effective January 7, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (including PTSD, CAD, DM II, low back condition, left knee condition, and peripheral neuropathy) are of sufficient severity to preclude substantially gainful employment from May 15, 2008 to May 8, 2012.

The Board has denied a rating higher than 10 percent for limitation of extension of the left knee, finding that the Veteran's extension is limited to no more than 10 degrees. The issues of service connection for instability and flexion are addressed in later decisions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations and missing private treatment records. The Veteran will need an adequate VA examination of her right knee, including testing on active and passive motion with weight-bearing and without weight-bearing.

The Board denied a higher disability rating for the Veteran's right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, currently rated at 10 percent each.

The Board denied service connection for right and left hip disorders, as well as right and left knee disorders, finding that the current conditions did not have their onset during active service or are otherwise etiologically related to active service.,Service connection was also denied for the right and left knee disorders due to a lack of evidence showing causation.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The rating claims for right and left knee disabilities are remanded, as is the TDIU claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right below-the-knee amputation, finding that there was no evidence to support his assertion of being en route to report for duty at the time of the accident. The decision is based on a lack of credible evidence and inconsistencies in the Veteran's statements.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee flexion prior to September 9, 2014, and a separate rating of 20 percent but no higher for moderate instability of the right knee from May 7, 2012, to September 8, 2014, is denied.