Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and right shoulder disorder. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions had their onset during or are otherwise related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's right knee traumatic arthritis resulted in limited extension to at most 35 degrees and limited flexion to at most 40 degrees. The Board denied the claims for increased ratings as her conditions did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations and medical opinions to determine if his current right, left knee disabilities and skin conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions were incurred during service.

The Board granted an annual clothing allowance for the Veteran's right knee brace in the year 2018, finding that his use of the brace tended to wear out or tear his clothing due to its design and the Veteran's service-connected right knee strain.

The Veteran's left knee flexion, instability, and degenerative spine disease have been granted ratings. The Veteran has also been awarded TDIU.

The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for a low back disability has been granted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for various other conditions have also been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders due to a lack of compliance with previous remand directives regarding obtaining VA medical records from Biloxi, Mississippi between 1994 and 2004.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in the VA opinions regarding service connection for various knee, foot, and shoulder disabilities. The Veteran's claims are now pending again.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip, right knee, and left knee disorders. The case is being remanded to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's left shoulder disorder.,The Veteran was not granted service connection for his claimed hip, knee, or shoulder conditions as they are considered direct rather than secondary, presumptive, or aggravation claims.

The Veteran's knee disabilities have not met the criteria for a higher disability rating as they do not show functional limitation of flexion or extension to the degree that would warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.,VA examinations and medical records consistently showed full or minimally limited range of motion, thus preventing a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues related to service connection, including asthma, ankle disability, depression, foot condition, low back condition, neck condition, right knee condition, sinusitis, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's TMJD, generalized anxiety disorder with depressive symptoms, lumbar degenerative disc disease with small focal central disc herniation, right wrist sprain, status post right thumb fracture, healed, peripheral neuropathy of the median nerve (left index finger and right thumb), patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee, lateral collateral ligament sprain of the left ankle, lateral collateral ligament sprain of the right ankle, tinnitus, trochanteric pain syndrome including trochanteric bursitis (right hip), hallux valgus of the left foot, and hallux valgus of the right foot have all been granted effective dates prior to June 22, 2018.,The Veteran's recurrent urinary tract infection has not been granted an effective date prior to June 22, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his employment is considered substantially gainful and not marginal.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted after the most recent Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran is asked to respond to the SSOC.

The Veteran is granted a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective September 25, 2019 due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to conflicting findings regarding his right knee total arthroplasty, as well as issues related to degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis and lumbar fusion. The Veteran is also entitled to a rating in excess of 60 percent for his right knee total arthroplasty on and after November 1, 2013.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee conditions due to an inadequate VA examination in May 2018. The Veteran will need a new examination to determine the current nature and severity of his knee disabilities.