Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee iliotibial band tear, post dislocation with degenerative joint disease and for a total rating based on individual unemployability prior to October 7, 2018 due to outstanding VA treatment records and incomplete employment information.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for right hip condition, left hip condition, left knee condition, and right ear hearing loss. The claim for a rating higher than 20 percent for chronic low back strain was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including mechanical low back pain, knee conditions, and radiculopathy, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left knee DJD is now rated at 20% from July 18, 2014. His right hip DJD remains at a non-compensable rating prior to and after this date. The Veteran also received TDIU benefits effective December 6, 2010.

The Veteran's bilateral hand tremors are found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection for sinusitis is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability in service or related complaints therein.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected pseudo folliculitis barbae is currently rated at 60 percent, but the Board has remanded several other issues for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his right arm, knee, foot, and ankle disabilities due to incomplete records. The Veteran will need to provide information about any private healthcare providers who have treated him for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service, including a previously service-connected ankle disability. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's increased ratings for her left and right knee disabilities have been denied. Separate additional ratings of 10 percent each were granted for instability in both knees starting from June 4, 2006.

The Veteran's left knee instability is rated at 20 percent, and the claim for a higher rating based on limitation of motion is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to procedural errors in the previous rating decisions. The Board will request a new VA examination to assess functional loss during flare-ups, provide retrospective estimates of range of motion testing, and address symptoms related to meniscus injuries.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, neck condition, lower back condition, left-hand condition, right-hand condition, right knee condition, left-knee condition, right ankle condition, and left-ankle condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to issues with his right knee disability. The Veteran is seeking higher evaluations for his service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome, meniscal tear, ACL tear, and degenerative arthritis.

The Board has dismissed the claim for an increased rating for a right knee disorder and has granted service connection for a low back disorder as secondary to the service-connected right knee disorder. The claims for gynecological disorders and psychiatric disorders are remanded.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis with limited extension and flexion is rated at 20% and 10%, respectively, but the Board finds that these ratings are not higher than what is warranted based on the evidence.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his service-connected left knee disability was denied. He is granted a separate evaluation of 20 percent for left knee instability from October 8, 2019, and TDIU from December 4, 2019.

The Board denied increased ratings for left and right knee degenerative joint disease, as well as instability of the knees. The Veteran's conditions were found to not meet criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are granted with a rating of 20 percent.,Service connection for dizziness, right knee disability, brain disability, and migraines is remanded.

The Veteran's request for a higher rating for his right knee scar is granted, subject to the laws and regulations governing the payment of monetary benefits.,The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for neck/cervical spine disability, left knee disability (including as secondary to service-connected ruptured patellar or quadriceps tendon proximal to the right patella), lumbar strain, ruptured patellar or quadriceps tendon proximal to the right patella, and lateral epicondylitis of the left elbow.