Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's right knee meniscal tear disability is rated at 20 percent under the schedular criteria. The Board has granted an additional 10 percent rating on an extraschedular basis, bringing the total to 30 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to inadequate examination opinions and failure to address relevant evidence. The Veteran's claims for left shoulder and bilateral knee disabilities will be reviewed again with new medical opinions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's applications to reopen his claims for service connection for right knee and lumbar spine disabilities, as new and material evidence was received. The cases are now remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's arthritis disabilities are proximately due or aggravated by his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder and bilateral first cuneiform metatarsal joint arthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for an upper back disability and a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are at least as likely as not incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral knee and neck disabilities, right ankle disability, insomnia (claimed as secondary to psychiatric disorder and tinnitus), low back disability, penile disability, and sciatica. Additional VA examinations are needed to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, a right knee condition, a back condition, and a right ankle condition has been granted. The appeal to reopen the PTSD claim is also granted. Service connection is established for PTSD based on personal assault allegations. The appeals for the right knee, back, and right ankle conditions are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his service, and therefore, denied his claims for service connection for bilateral foot pain, right knee condition, and right-hand injury.

The Veteran's chronic degenerative arthritis of the right knee joint with limitation of extension is rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's chronic degenerative arthritis of the right knee joint with instability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's residuals meniscal tear of the right knee is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with a previous remand order, specifically regarding an opinion on whether the Veteran's left knee disability was aggravated during service.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, right knee disability, left knee disability, right elbow disability, and left elbow disability. The Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of these conditions at the time of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee or right leg disability, diabetes mellitus as due to herbicide exposure, diabetic neuropathy of the right upper and lower extremities, stroke, and erectile dysfunction are all remanded.,Specifically, the Board finds that there is a need to verify the Veteran’s reported service on a base in the Republic of Vietnam during his period of temporary duty (TDY) from March 24, 1967, to May 13, 1967.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various knee disorders, wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger disorders, stroke residuals, dizziness, and peroneal neuropathy. The case will be remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide addendum opinions from a VA examiner.

The Veteran's claims were partially granted and partially denied. He received a grant of an earlier effective date for his left knee instability rating and a grant of a 10 percent rating for that condition, but he did not receive a higher rating or an effective date before October 20, 2015.

The Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for right shoulder disability, right-hand CTS, right knee disability, left knee disability, and PTSD have been reopened. The appeal is granted to this limited extent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder, right and left knee osteoarthritis, and left shoulder bursitis, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since April 20, 2012. The Board granted the TDIU on an extraschedular basis effective from that date.

The Board has restored a 20 percent evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability effective from October 1, 2015. The reduction was improper due to lack of material improvement in the condition.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational experience. The Board denied the claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to May 2, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his service, especially as it relates to his service-connected spina bifida occulta, S1, and arthritis and degenerative joint disease of the spine. A new medical opinion addressing aggravation is required.