Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 60 percent from December 10, 2013 to June 13, 2019.,After June 13, 2019, the Veteran's claim for a higher rating was denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including right knee, back, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities. The main reasons are the need for additional development of records from Patterson Army Community Hospital and VA treatment records, as well as a need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for further evaluation of his right knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remands and insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's left leg condition is being reviewed again for service connection, specifically as secondary to her service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 15, 2017.

The Veteran's cervical spine disease is granted service connection, and his right knee chondromalacia appeal for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition and COPD due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his low back disability, right knee disabilities, left knee disabilities, and right ear hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including examinations and consideration of new evidence. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities include L4-L5 space narrowing degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, traumatic arthritis of the right shoulder, left knee disability, and ankle disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee and leg disability, left knee and leg disability, and lower back disability due to ambiguity regarding process of law and outstanding medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a right knee condition and a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left knee condition, based on limited flexion. The remand is necessary due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed right knee condition and the severity of his service-connected left knee conditions.

The Veteran's initial claim for left knee DJD with status post ACL reconstruction was denied, and a noncompensable rating (0%) was assigned from March 1, 2009. A subsequent 10% rating was granted effective July 14, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability and a right knee disability, both of which are determined to be related to injuries sustained during active duty for training (ACDUTRA) periods.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of right and left knee disorders, right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder osteoarthritis, foot fungus (onychomycosis), PTSD with depressive disorder, lumbar strain prior to June 30, 2016, and bilateral hearing loss.,The Board also remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of sleep apnea secondary to PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's residuals of left hip, shoulder, and knee injuries due to in-service trauma. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases due to outstanding private medical records related to the Veteran's bilateral hip and left knee disabilities. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to service or not.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The rating for osteoarthrosis of the right knee and left knee prior to October 26, 2016 are granted at 10 percent each. A separate 10 percent evaluation is granted for a left knee meniscectomy. The Veteran's total arthroplasty from December 1, 2017 is rated as 30 percent. Left knee scars are evaluated as 10 percent.

The Veteran's left knee strain is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that it does not warrant a higher rating as his range of motion was limited to at most 70 degrees for flexion and full extension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, bilateral foot disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found no evidence to support these claims based on the lack of current diagnoses or a link between the conditions and service.