Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and left knee disability render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right ankle disability prior to September 24, 2019. The claim is denied for higher ratings for the right ankle and knee disabilities after that date.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The rating for the acquired psychiatric disorder was not higher than 70% prior to June 16, 2014, and the ratings for both left and right knee disabilities remain at 20%. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is also remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected left knee disability, which prevents him from working in his chosen field as an anesthesiologist.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period of June 23, 2008 to February 4, 2011 was denied as he did not meet the schedular requirements. For the period of February 4, 2011 to August 12, 2013, TDIU was granted due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder, low back, and left knee disabilities. The claims for epididymitis and testicular pain, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, and gastrointestinal disability (to include irritable bowel syndrome) are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of diverticular bleed and left knee disability for further development due to incomplete records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee disability ratings as there is insufficient evidence regarding functional loss during flare-ups and instability.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee arthritis and denied service connection for left ear hearing loss. The decision on the left knee issue is based on direct evidence, while the denial of left ear hearing loss is due to a lack of current disability as defined by VA regulations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and will need to obtain an updated VA examination to determine if the Veteran's left knee disability is related to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and right knee disability due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature of his service, particularly concerning his time at ROTC summer camp in 1967.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected patellofemoral syndrome/chondromalacia with degenerative joint disease of the left and right knees, as well as instability of the right knee, and low back disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities were denied increased ratings, with the case being remanded for further examination.,Service connection for a left wrist condition (claimed as cyst/benign growth) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was also remanded.

The Board has granted a combined 40 percent rating for the right knee disability, but denied an increased rating for the right shoulder disability. The case is remanded to obtain VA treatment records from before October 3, 2000.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left and right knee conditions, as they are related to service-connected neck and back disabilities. The VA examinations provided were inadequate, and new examinations and opinions are necessary.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his claimed right and left knee disorders, as well as a lower back disorder, all of which he contends are secondary to his service-connected left hip disorder. The Board found that there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for hip disabilities (left and right), malaria, knee disability (left), ankle disabilities (right and left), and onychomycosis of the toenails bilaterally.,Service connection was not established for any of these conditions due to lack of a current diagnosis or credible evidence linking them to service.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability rating for his left knee condition from 40 percent to 40 percent effective November 1, 2019, as the evidence did not show sustained improvement in his condition that would warrant a lower rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent from July 12, 2019 to October 18, 2019. The evidence does not support a higher evaluation.,The Veteran’s post-traumatic headaches are currently evaluated as 50 percent disabling since March 25, 2013. A higher schedular rating is not available.