Knee decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if his skin cancer and related conditions are related to service. The right knee and eye disorders remain under review.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his military service and that any current condition is not due to his time in active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from maintaining gainful employment, and the Board denies his claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and depression disorder have been sufficiently incapacitating as to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, resulting in a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right knee, left knee, right hip, and left hip degenerative arthritis, as well as his hammertoes of the feet and a foot disability are all granted.,Service connection is also granted for right bundle branch block. However, gout is denied.

The Veteran's BLE peripheral neuropathy is granted service connection. The issue of entitlement to service connection for BLE arthritis (knees) is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his right total knee arthroplasty and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities prior to February 7, 2019 were both denied by the Board. The denial was based on the evidence not showing severe residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness in the right knee.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right ankle and left knee disabilities were denied. The claim for a separate rating for symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome with anterior tibial tendonitis, chondromalacia patella, Baker's cyst, and osteoarthritis, right knee was granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding whether the Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome preexisted service and was aggravated by service. The claim will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee disability, low back disability, and left shoulder degenerative disease (arthritis) due to a lack of credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's right elbow scar is granted service connection. The Board also found that the Veteran has a current lumbar spine disorder, but did not determine if it was related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for left and right knee instability, as well as for left and right knee limitation of extension due to potential changes in VA rating criteria. The Veteran is also denied an initial compensable rating for his cutaneous nerve disability.

The Veteran is granted TDIU for his service-connected disabilities prior to May 26, 2020 and TDIU solely due to PTSD beginning May 26, 2020. SMC at the housebound rate is also granted starting from May 26, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's right and left knee instability are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the evidence does not support a higher rating.,Separate ratings of 10 percent have been granted for arthritis in both knees.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back, cervical spine, and left knee disabilities due to in-service motor vehicle accident (MVA). The Veteran's claims are referred for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of her current disabilities.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is not service-connected, but his scars from a head laceration and right knee disability are. The rating for headaches remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hip and right knee disabilities, specifically whether they are caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.