Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has granted a separate rating of 10 percent for right knee instability, but denied the claim for a higher rating for right knee limitation of motion.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and TDIU from March 11, 2020. The Veteran's appeal was remanded to consider the issue of TDIU prior to March 11, 2020.

The Veteran's left knee instability is now rated at 20 percent effective February 7, 2021. All other claims remain denied.

The Veteran's left knee total arthroplasty is currently rated at 30 percent prior to July 10, 2019, and 40 percent thereafter. The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate explanation of why intermediate degrees of weakness, pain or limitation of motion do not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's left and right total knee arthroscopies are rated at 60 percent each from March 1, 2016, through June 26, 2019.,Service connection for a right shoulder disability is remanded due to the need for further evaluation of its relationship to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The case is remanded for further examination of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to inadequate examination and new evidence indicating worsening of the Veteran's knee conditions.

The Veteran's left knee brace, which he uses to treat his service-connected gunshot wound residuals, tended to wear out or tear his clothing. The Board granted an annual clothing allowance for the 2018 calendar year for this brace.

The Veteran's appeal for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized expenses incurred at Sanpete Valley Hospital is denied because the treatment was not for an emergency medical condition.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee disorder may be related to service, and thus remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's left knee flexion and extension are currently rated at the maximum allowed under VA regulations, with no further increase warranted.,For his right knee, the current ratings for limitation of extension meet or exceed the required criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and evaluation, including a review of her medications' impact on her symptoms.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board has determined that there is insufficient evidence to support a higher rating. The current evaluation does not reflect any limitation of motion or instability warranting an increased rating.

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and bilateral knee disorders, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service.,For right and left knee disorders, the Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's right knee instability status post ACL reconstruction with posttraumatic arthritis is rated at 10 percent, and the claim for an increased rating has been denied. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed back, left knee, and right hip disabilities are not related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 30 percent from December 20, 2006 through April 25, 2010. The TDIU is granted for this period.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and failure to discuss functional loss. The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, a cardiovascular disorder, and diabetes mellitus. Service connection was denied for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, respiratory disorder, and hepatitis C.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as his claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The decision is based on the lack of new and material evidence to reopen the claims and the absence of evidence showing that the current disabilities are related to service.