Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disorder is related to his period of service, and thus grants service connection for a right knee disorder.

The Veteran's right knee instability is rated at 30 percent, effective February 11, 2009. The left inguinal hernia repair disability remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board has dismissed the claim for a TDIU as it is not properly in appellate status and does not have jurisdiction over this issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current disabilities and his service, as well as the potential aggravation of these conditions by service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for higher ratings and reopening of service connection claims related to his knee conditions, low back strain, tinnitus, and hepatitis C.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability. The lumbar spine disability was granted a 20% rating but not in excess of that.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right knee was denied. The VA determined that the residuals from total right-knee replacement did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to June 17, 2010 was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.,On August 13, 2015, the Veteran's TDIU claim from that date forward was also denied because none of his service-connected conditions (other than adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood) on their own or collectively met the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee, right knee, and back conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is asked to provide information about her treatment records from military facilities and a private doctor.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from securing and following any substantially gainful employment prior to January 13, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and further development is needed to determine if the Veteran's right knee disability is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete information.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of appendix removal, gall bladder removal, vision disorder, body sweats, hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, tinnitus, colon cancer (also claimed as partial colon/intestinal removal), testicular cancer and removal, Barrett's esophagus, right foot peripheral neuropathy, left foot peripheral neuropathy, right hand peripheral neuropathy, left hand peripheral neuropathy, chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee disability, left knee disability, hepatitis C, malaise, neck surgery broken vertebra, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, subcutaneous cell carcinoma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been withdrawn. The remaining issues of service connection for hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and tinnitus are REMANDED.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability, lumbar spine disability, sinusitis, and back disability. The claims are remanded for further development including VA examinations to determine the etiology of these disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's knee disorders and their relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of the right knee post-operative scar, status-post arthroplasty scar, and painful right knee scar have been denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable VA regulations.,Further development is needed to determine if there are additional scars or complications related to the service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for hammer toes and a bilateral lower extremity condition, including degenerative joint disease of the knees. The Veteran's hammer toes were not found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various knee, ankle, hip, and back disorders have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence that would warrant the granted rating.

The Veteran withdrew her appeal, including the claims for service connection for sinusitis and reopening previously denied claims of service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability, a back disability, a right knee disability, and a left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment from December 25, 2013 through September 7, 2017.