Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's heart disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a pre-existing condition prior to his death.,The Veteran's left knee disorder is remanded for additional development due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA examination.,The Veteran's hypertension is remanded because the medical opinion did not adequately address whether it was caused by or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus and/or herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's kidney disorder is remanded as there is no evidence of a pre-existing condition prior to his death.,The Veteran's thyroid disorder is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA opinion regarding its relationship with service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period prior to May 25, 2012 is denied because he was employed full-time until that date and did not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is granted a 20 percent rating throughout the appeal period, while his left knee disability and instability are denied higher ratings. The decision also grants separate 10 percent ratings for left knee instability.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decreases in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, warranting a 10% rating prior to November 28, 2018. A 30% rating was granted beginning from that date.,For the period before April 11, 2016, the Veteran's right ankle sprain with degenerative joint disease resulted in occupational and social impairment warranting a 10% rating. For the period after April 11, 2016, his condition warranted a 20% rating.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are granted with a 10% rating prior to April 16, 2019. Ratings for the right wrist, left ankle, left ear hearing loss, costochondritis-mid sternal (chest pain), and unspecified depressive disorder remain denied.,Service connection for heartburn and gastrointestinal disability is remanded.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent, and a separate rating of 10 percent for instability is granted. The Veteran is now rated at 70 percent for PTSD from November 24, 2016, with entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the current conditions are related to in-service injuries.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, the highest rating available based on pain alone. The Board finds that his knees do not meet criteria for a higher rating due to lack of additional loss of range of motion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee condition, nervous condition (claimed as chronic schizophrenia and chronic depression), back condition, and cervical condition due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing right knee condition worsened in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate examination in determining the severity of the appellant's left knee disability, and a new VA medical examination is required.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU have been dismissed due to his death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for his service-connected left knee disability was denied by the Board, as the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to inadequate VA examination reports, lack of range of motion testing results in degrees on both passive and active range of motion, and additional functional loss resulting from flare-ups. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is intertwined with the rating issues.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings on multiple scars of the left thigh/leg, knee, and left heel with keratosis are remanded due to insufficient examination findings.,The Veteran's claims for residuals of left femur fracture and right femur fracture require a new VA examination as per Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for left knee and right knee disorders due to a lack of an examination. The Veteran is requested to undergo a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any left or right knee disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the ankles, knees, and hips. The decision is based on the Veteran's reported pain during service which later developed into diagnosed arthritis.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the service connection for residuals of a right toe fracture, bilateral plantar fasciitis, a left foot condition, a right foot condition, a right knee condition, and a left knee meniscus tear.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for her right knee chondromalacia and patellofemoral syndrome was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion, as her range of motion was limited to 60 degrees during flare-ups with pain. Her claim for a temporary total disability rating due to her service-connected right knee disability was also denied. Finally, her TDIU claim was denied because she could still obtain and follow substantially gainful employment despite her disabilities.