Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate examination opinions. The claims are not currently decided.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his bilateral knee disabilities due to inadequate reasoning and lack of examination addressing functional loss during flare-ups.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disorder, left varicocele, right varicocele, neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, and knee disorders. The decision also noted that a right ankle disorder was not shown.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for his left knee condition have been withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability. The claims for left knee and bilateral ankle disabilities are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and further development is needed.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death, and no jurisdiction remains for further action.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability and right knee disability, both of which are related to in-service exposure to an herbicide agent. The left knee disability is currently under review.

The Veteran's tinea pedis of the bilateral foot is granted. The right and left knee disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted at a rating of 20 percent, effective from the date of the appeal. The lumbar and knee disabilities remain rated as they were prior to the hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, but his unemployability is due to his service-connected conditions. The Board has referred the issue of entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service.

The Board is remanding the case to provide proper notice and allow the Veteran to submit additional evidence for his claim of reopening a previously denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability, including as secondary to a bilateral ankle condition.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as the Veteran’s surviving child, finding that she was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to turning 18 years old.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of right shoulder arthritis, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis as these issues were withdrawn by the Veteran's attorney during a hearing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are granted for insomnia with fatigue as secondary to PTSD and major depressive disorder. The claims for joint pain in legs, knees, arms, and elbows remain pending due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted restoration of the 50 percent rating for left knee limitation of extension and a 30 percent rating for left knee limitation of flexion, both effective October 1, 2013. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that the Veteran's current right knee problems are not related to his in-service parachute jumps and do not meet the criteria for secondary service connection due to his service-connected left knee patellofemoral syndrome with osteoarthritis. The Board also remanded cases regarding initial disability ratings for lumbar spine spondylosis and left knee patellofemoral syndrome with osteoarthritis.

The Veteran is granted a separate 10 percent rating for pain under DC 5010 prior to June 7, 2010.,The Veteran's claim for instability under DC 5257 prior to June 7, 2010 is denied.,The Veteran is granted a 60 percent rating from July 31, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. However, the preponderance of the evidence does not support the claims for right knee disability, left knee disability, dental disability, or low back disability.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 10 percent from March 18, 2010 to March 23, 2016 due to painful and noncompensable limitation of motion related to mild osteoarthritis.