Knee decisions — 2021

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding no causal relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities. The decision did not provide a specific rating assigned or effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone have not rendered him unemployable at any point during the appellate period, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his sleep disorder, right hip disability, right ankle disability, TBI, actinic keratosis, and ingrown toenails.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support such an increase.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU related to his service-connected bilateral knee conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations.,Specifically, the Board is requesting that the AOJ obtain pertinent medical records from Womack Army Hospital and Fayetteville VA Medical Center. They also request an examination of the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his service-connected left knee disability was denied by the Board, as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 30 degrees or less at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran withdrew all his claims before a decision was made by the Board.

The Board has granted a 60 percent disability rating for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, effective from November 1, 2017, and July 1, 2017 respectively. The ratings are subject to the amputation rule.

The Veteran's headaches, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and depressive disorder are all found to be related to his active service.,Service connection is granted for these conditions. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the left knee disability, right foot disability, right eye disability, sleep apnea, kidney disability, or skin disability began during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for new examinations and consideration of updated VA criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chondromalacia of the right and left knees, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The remand is due to inadequate prior examinations that did not provide sufficient range of motion estimates during flare-ups.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the promulgation of a decision, which dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's left foot disability, characterized as pes planus, hallux valgus, plantar callus, and bunion with first metatarsal phalangeal joint degenerative joint disease, is found to be at least as likely as not related to his active service.,The Veteran's right knee and left knee disabilities are also found to be at least as likely as not related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his left knee disability due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the severity of his condition prior to June 15, 2009.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a left knee disability and has not had one at any time during or approximate to the pendency of her claim.,The Board also denied service connection for a left ankle disability, finding that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a left ankle disability and has not had one at any time during or recent to the filing of the claim.,Service connection was denied for a right ankle disability due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his PVD and PAD, contributed to his death from ischemic cardiomyopathy. The criteria for service connection have been met.

The Veteran's secondary service connection claim for dry eye syndrome is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, including instability, meet the criteria for separate initial 20 percent ratings from August 30, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral upper extremity neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and major depressive disorder), obstructive sleep apnea, a lumbar spine disorder, right lower extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are all being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,The Veteran has not been diagnosed with bilateral upper extremity neuropathy or any other condition related to his service. His claims for hearing loss, psychiatric disorders, sleep apnea, TBI, lumbar spine disorder, lower extremity conditions, and knee disorders are being remanded as well.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to comply with prior remand directives.