Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim for further development due to incomplete employment history and functional limitations of service-connected right knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee meniscal tear, finding that the condition likely occurred during the Appellant's period of active duty training in July 2009. Service connection was denied for a back disability due to lack of evidence linking it to any period of active duty or ACDUTRA.

The Veteran's right knee limited extension is currently rated as 40 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's left knee limited extension is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected knee conditions render him unemployable, and thus grants an extraschedular total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating between January 1, 2009 through March 7, 2018. The preponderance of the evidence is against his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis and denied service connection for bilateral ankle disability.

Your appeals for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the right knee and right knee instability have been dismissed as you withdrew your claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck and left knee disorders due to inadequate medical opinions based on a lack of evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various conditions, including major depressive disorder with anxiety, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis of the right lower extremity, status post arthroscopic debridement chondromalacia patella right knee with residual degenerative joint disease, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including clarification of his military service and a VA opinion addressing the relationship between his back disorder and his right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, bilateral knee disabilities, tinnitus, and hearing loss, collectively rated at 70 percent or more, render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Board has granted entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is granted service connection as it is secondary to his service-connected right foot/ankle disorder. The neck disorder claim is denied due to lack of evidence showing a direct or secondary relationship with service. The bilateral knee disorders are remanded for further clarification.

The Veteran's right hip disability was initially rated at 100% and reduced to 30%, then back up to 90% for specific periods, with a final rating of 90% since October 17, 2013.,For the left knee, an initial 30% rating was granted from November 9, 2007 through March 7, 2010. The Veteran's right knee disability received a separate 30% rating.,The Veteran’s postoperative residuals of left hip osteoarthropathy were rated at 10%. For the left knee replacement, no higher ratings are granted since October 18, 2013.,Right hip disability was initially rated at 100%, then reduced to 30% and back up to 90% for specific periods. The final rating is 90% since October 17, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability (Osgood-Schlatter’s Disease) and a lumbar spine disability, finding that his pre-existing conditions did not worsen during service and were not related to any service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right knee arthritis, left ankle sprain, and right ankle sprain due to a lack of proper evaluation criteria in prior examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for left knee degenerative joint disease with meniscal tear and left knee instability, as well as the TDIU claim due to additional development being necessary.

The Veteran's right knee condition is currently rated at 30 percent from August 1, 2013. The Board has remanded the case to address whether a higher rating is warranted prior to that date.,Service connection for various conditions (left wrist, right wrist, right elbow, left elbow, right hand, left hand, and left knee) are also remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether his current condition was related to service or an incident of service origin.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service injuries and continuity of symptoms since then.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for a cervical spine disorder and residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to include a headache disorder, as well as the SMC and SMP claims. The issues are being remanded due to conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran's falls were caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.