Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has decided that more information is needed about the specific dates of service to determine if the Veteran's knee issues are related to his military service. The case will be sent back for further investigation.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her bilateral knee conditions have been denied. The left knee has been rated at 10 percent since December 28, 2015, and the right knee has been rated at 10 percent since April 5, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the remaining issues due to lack of medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for service-connected status post left knee arthroplasty and for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected degenerative joint disease, right knee due to insufficient examination results.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various knee, shoulder, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disorders due to in-service cold exposure. Additional medical evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted an extraschedular TDIU for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is etiologically related to an injury during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his bronchial asthma with obstructive sleep apnea does not warrant a rating in excess of 60 percent, and service connection for high blood pressure, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder cannot be established.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and no service connection issues were addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment for the period beginning December 25, 2007, to prior to June 12, 2018.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective March 5, 2010. The right knee osteoarthritis with a diffusely macerated meniscus and cartilage loss is now rated at 20 percent, also effective March 5, 2010.,The Veteran's right knee instability remains rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA examination opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee and bilateral foot disabilities.

The case is being remanded due to insufficient examination in the previous rating decision, specifically regarding retrospective estimate opinions about limitation of motion at the time of the 2013 and 2015 VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further action due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability is related to her service, specifically during her ACDUTRA period from March 8, 2009, to March 14, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are preventing him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds a remand is required to obtain updated information about his most recent employment and to request an opinion regarding the combined effects of his service-connected conditions on his employability.

The Veteran's initial claims for increased ratings for left and right knee Osgood-Schlatter’s disease were denied, with the Board finding that his disability picture did not warrant a higher or separate rating based on limitation of motion. The claim for an increased evaluation for PTSD was remanded due to lack of cooperation from the Veteran during the previous examination.,The Veteran's PTSD with mood disorder is currently rated at 50 percent under Diagnostic Code 9411, and the Board finds that a higher or separate rating is warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for left knee disability, right knee disability, right foot Achilles tendonitis, and left heel Achilles tendonitis have been granted. The Veteran is also awarded a TDIU effective December 1, 2010.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left knee disorders due to insufficient consideration of in-service complaints and treatment, as well as a lack of consideration of VA outpatient records. The case is now pending for further development.