Knee decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities on a substitution basis, finding that there was no evidence linking the disabilities to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder and degenerative disc syndrome, have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Veteran's duodenal ulcer and skin disability are rated at 20 percent, while his right ankle, left ankle, and left knee disabilities are each rated at 10 percent. The appeal is denied for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to consider pertinent evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as his requests for increased ratings for residual scars of forearm stab wound, were denied. The Veteran was granted separate noncompensable ratings for the right forearm scar effective May 27, 2014, and a compensable rating (10%) for the right forearm muscle injury associated with the residual scars from that date. He also received a compensable rating (30%) for his right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with the residual scars. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for DJD of the left thigh, thoracolumbar spine, knee, and shoulder is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and his service-connected disabilities.,Service connection for psoriatic arthritis is also being remanded as there are insufficient medical opinions addressing its onset or relation to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations. The issues include nausea, right hip pain, left hip pain, right elbow pain, left elbow pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, right wrist pain, left wrist pain, and right shoulder pain with tendonitis.

The Veteran's claims for extraschedular ratings for left and right knee chondromalacia, as well as a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, were denied. The Board found that the available schedular evaluations adequately described his disability level and symptomatology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not show that his flexion is limited to less than 30 degrees, which would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5260.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability (degenerative joint disease) and gastrointestinal disabilities (GERD and hiatal hernia). Effective from November 27, 2020, the Veteran will receive VA compensation benefits.,Effective dates have been set for each of these awards.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating and service connection for various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and interviews, as well as further development of his claims.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability has caused or aggravated her left ankle strain, bilateral knee PFS, and bilateral hip trochanteric pain syndrome. The Board granted service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left wrist, right wrist, left knee, and right shoulder conditions, are granted. The Veteran is also granted an initial disability rating of 60 percent for chronic urticaria.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee and bilateral lateral collateral ligament sprains, finding that these conditions are directly related to incidents during active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure by the AOJ to substantially comply with the March 2019 Remand directives. The Veteran's service records show knee problems during service, and he testified that his knees started hurting after service. A new VA examination is needed to determine if any current knee disorders are related to service.

The Board has determined that the previous remand directives were not substantially complied with and has again remanded the cases for further development to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hip and knee disabilities, finding that the conditions are not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his reported injuries and conditions during military service. The case will be returned to the Board for further action.

The Board has dismissed the issue of entitlement to an increased rating for a left knee disability prior to October 8, 2015 due to the Veteran opting into the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) review system.