Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to November 3, 2011. The Board granted TDIU based on the combined impact of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues related to his character of discharge from service and the remaining service connection claims are also remanded as 'inextricably linked together' with the character of discharge issue.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder and remanded the issue of secondary service connection for a left knee disorder. The case is now back with the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and nonservice-connected pension benefits due to incomplete development, including a need for a new VA examination. The issues are inextricably intertwined as the outcome of one could significantly impact the other.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a right knee condition and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate VA opinions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including degenerative joint disease (DJD) other than the right and left hips, a left shoulder disability, a right knee disability, a right ankle disability, and a skin condition (spider bite).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for liver disorder was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for prostate cancer, back disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder were all denied as the evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD with anxiety, low back strain with L-5 spinal stenosis, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity are denied. The claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claims for increased ratings of his left and right knee disabilities are denied.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability and denied an increased rating for degenerative disc disease (DDD) and spondylosis of the lumbar spine.,There is no evidence linking the Veteran's current left knee or lumbar spine disabilities to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically focusing on the right knee disability prior to June 17, 2010, and the TDIU claim from August 13, 2015. The case is being referred to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of extraschedular TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for left hip and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not establish a causal relationship between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for a back disability and left knee disability, as well as the claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The AOJ should ensure compliance with previous remand directives and adjudicate the neck disability within the AMA framework.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disorders, as well as a left hip disorder, are being remanded due to the need for additional development including medical examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during active service, and for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his lung condition.

The Veteran's right knee disorder, postoperative residuals of right inguinal hernia, and surgical scar, status-post right inguinal hernia repair, are all granted with respective ratings. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability.,The Veteran's respiratory issues with shortness of breath/difficulty breathing when exercising were denied due to lack of service connection and insufficient medical evidence linking the conditions to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim has been granted on a presumptive basis due to noise exposure in service.,Service connection for left knee and right knee disorders is being remanded as new evidence was submitted after the previous denial.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically his left knee/lower extremity and back disabilities, are found to render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU claim with resolution of reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's left knee laxity and limitation of flexion are now rated at 20% each, while his left knee dislocated semilunar cartilage is rated at 20%. The Veteran also received a TDIU rating prior to December 15, 2011.