Knee decisions — 2021

The Veteran's knee disabilities have been rated, and the Board has found increased ratings for limitation of extension. Separate ratings for instability are also granted. The case is remanded to further develop issues related to service connection.

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

The Veteran's right knee medial instability is currently rated at 10 percent and denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's left knee medial instability is currently rated at 10 percent and denied a higher rating. From May 18, 2015, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for tinnitus, hearing loss, left knee disorder, and back disorder due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right hip disability, and right knee disability as secondary to a lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's disabilities are not related to his lumbar spine disability or otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further development regarding his left knee disability ratings.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD. The Veteran submitted a new private psychiatric evaluation in July 2021 that diagnosed him with PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right leg disability with arthritis of the knee is denied. The Board has remanded this issue and other issues related to service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding whether the Veteran's knee and back conditions are related to service, specifically parachute landings. The examiner is asked to consider the Veteran's lay statements of in-service injuries and a learned treatise on arthritis development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right knee disability and respiratory disability due to service in the Gulf War. The claims will be reviewed again with additional examinations to determine if any diagnosed conditions are related to service, including consideration of presumptive service connection under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the claims for left and right knee disabilities secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus need further development as they were not adjudicated on a secondary basis.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee condition and bilateral hearing loss as they have already been granted in an earlier rating decision. The appeal is moot.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for right knee disability and cellulitis of the right ankle and knee, so these claims are dismissed.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including right and left big toe disorders, right and left knee disorders, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the inadequacy of a recent VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee limitation of flexion is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the January 2019 VA examination. The claim will be reassessed with a new examination that includes testing for pain and range of motion during flare-ups.

The Board has dismissed the appeal to reduce the rating for left knee instability. The Veteran's other specified trauma and stressor related disorder is granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of all claims.

The Board has dismissed all the issues related to service connection and ratings for various conditions, including bilateral foot disorder, left knee disorder, diabetes mellitus, PTSD, heart disability, and cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. The dismissal is due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus, right knee disability, sarcoidosis, and TBI due to incomplete service records. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to obtain in-service treatment records from Germany where the Veteran was stationed.