Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that the Veteran's arthritis is related to his military service and was diagnosed within one year of separation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left hip and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the retrieval of outstanding treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee medial meniscus tear with moderate osteoarthritis and right knee mild osteoarthritis due to incomplete medical records and insufficient opinions in the VA examination reports.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection of depressive disorder with mixed features as there is no longer a case or controversy to resolve due to its grant in December 2019. The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection for knee, ankle, and lower extremity disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by chondromalacia with osteochondral lesion involving the medial femoral condyle and severe osteoarthritis, has been rated at 20 percent since August 16, 2019. The rating is for limitation of flexion to a maximum of 30 degrees during flare-ups and extension to a maximum of 10 degrees during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's combined rating did not meet the percentage standards set forth in § 4.16(a), but his case may be considered under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) for an extra-schedular TDIU.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board has found that additional development is needed due to conflicting evidence and lack of specific findings for certain conditions.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, right-knee disorder, left-knee disorder, OSA, skin disorder, and CFS were all denied as they did not meet the criteria for service connection based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's IBS is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating, and his TDIU claim has been granted. The Board finds that additional examination and medical opinion are needed to determine if service connection for sleep apnea should be granted.,Service connection for post-polio syndrome was remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, migraines, left knee degenerative joint disease and tendonitis/tendinosis, right shoulder disability, right hip disability, and bilateral leg disability (knees, left hip) have been granted service connection. The Veteran's arm condition/tingling is not considered a separate issue as it is related to the left shoulder.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his left knee disability was denied from July 29, 2009 to February 3, 2013 and from February 4, 2013. From January 17, 2018, he is granted a 20% rating for recurrent subluxation or instability.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including chondromalacia patella and degenerative joint disease, is rated at 10 percent. The appeal for higher ratings was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck condition and left knee condition, as well as his request for an increased evaluation of PTSD, were denied. The claim for PTSD was granted with a 50% evaluation effective January 28, 2014.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for left knee chondromalacia patella and chronic lumbosacral strain due to a lack of contemporaneous medical examination, as well as an inadequate assessment of functional loss during flare-ups.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee disorder due to incomplete service records and inadequate VA examinations. Clarification on the exact nature of the Veteran's military service is needed, as well as obtaining her complete STRs from reserve service periods. Further examination by a VA examiner is required to assess the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has decided to remand the case for further development.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective February 1, 2012. The appeal seeks a higher rating for this condition.,The Veteran's right knee disability has been assigned separate ratings for instability and limitation of flexion. The instability rating remains at 10 percent prior to December 21, 2019, but the flexion rating is increased to 20 percent from that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,Effective May 24, 2017, the Veteran is now entitled to service connection for various conditions including Parkinson’s disease with weakness of the left lower extremity, right knee strain, instability and subluxation, loss of sense of smell, constipation, and other related issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, bilateral knee disabilities, lumbar spine disability, bilateral foot condition (toe condition), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, left leg laceration, LUE peripheral neuropathy, and DMII have been denied.,No new evidence has been provided to support the Veteran's claims for service connection.