Knee decisions — 2021

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left knee disability has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal.

Service connection for left knee arthritis and right knee arthritis is granted. Service connection for loss of consciousness and right shoulder injury is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee and genitourinary disabilities. The heart disability claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for multiple joint arthritis, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder and knee disabilities, bilateral ankle and foot disabilities, cardiac disability (including heart palpitations), and diabetes mellitus due to insufficient evidence.,Further examination is needed to determine if the Veteran currently has these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to January 6, 2021 as his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further examination and consideration due to inconsistencies in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left shoulder, right knee, and left ankle disabilities have been denied. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating at any time during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right knee disability and skin condition.

The Board has denied service connection for left knee recurrent patellar dislocation and right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's conditions preexisted service and were not aggravated by military service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to left foot, ankle, knee, and back disabilities are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran is not required to have an underlying diagnosis of arthritis or other specific condition; pain alone can constitute a disability under VA law if it results in functional impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition post total knee replacement due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error. The VA examiner is required to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's right knee condition status post total knee replacement, including osteoarthritis, is at least as likely as not (probability of 50 percent or greater) the result of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, primarily his migraine headaches, have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the Veteran is precluded from obtaining or maintaining any gainful occupation due solely to these service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine were granted. The claim for bilateral hip disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence. The claim for bilateral knee disability is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various ankle and foot disorders, as well as a right knee disorder due to inadequate compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board has granted service connection for low back pain with arthritis, but denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, pitting edema of the RLE, and pitting edema of the LLE.,The Veteran's current lower extremity pitting edema is not considered secondary to his claimed knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent, and his right knee patellofemoral syndrome is also rated at 10 percent. The Veteran was granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability effective April 1, 2017.,Prior to January 16, 2017, the Veteran's left knee instability was rated as 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hepatitis C and bilateral knee conditions have been reopened due to the introduction of new and material evidence. However, both claims remain denied as there is no current diagnosis of hepatitis C or a link between the claimed conditions and active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability is related to his active duty service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.