Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities due to a lack of VA examination. The case will be rescheduled for an examination that complies with the instructions in this decision and the April 2019 remand.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, and bilateral pes planus due to additional development needed.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. His right and left knee chondromalacia are each granted a 10% rating, effective March 3, 2016, for instability.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his ankle, foot nerve condition, and knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip and right knee disabilities due to conflicting medical evidence. The VA examiner is requested to clarify whether these conditions are secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine, left hip, and/or left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, particularly PTSD and right knee/lumbosacral spine disabilities. His initial rating claims are remanded as new examinations are necessary given the lack of adequate testing in previous VA examination reports.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for back disability, bilateral foot disability, and leg disability due to lack of evidence showing he is in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently bedridden.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disorders due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between in-service parachute jumps and current knee conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and right knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. His TDIU is granted as of July 11, 2016.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new VA examination to evaluate the severity of the Veteran's right knee disability, as the previous examinations were unclear and internally inconsistent.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee disabilities and a disorder manifested by tremors, including Parkinson's disease. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, but the VA examinations did not provide sufficient rationale to support their findings.

The Veteran's right and left knee DJD have been rated at 10 percent since August 14, 2017. The Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted for the limitation of extension.,Since August 14, 2017, the Veteran has been granted separate initial 10 percent ratings for right and left knee DJD manifested by painful limitation of flexion.

The Board denied service connection for right knee disability, left foot bursitis, left foot neuropathy, and right foot neuropathy as the evidence did not support a finding of in-service disease or injury, and arthritis was not shown within one year post-service.,The Veteran's current disabilities were found to be unrelated to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease and right knee degenerative arthritis have been granted separate disability ratings, with the left knee flexion limitation receiving a separate rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been denied. The Board found that the effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was appropriately assigned as July 15, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a disease or injury in service, and that any current knee disability is not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back condition.,The appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include as secondary to the service-connected bilateral knee degenerative joint disease is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and a gynecological disorder due to insufficient examination opinions addressing the Veteran's assertions of in-service injury and exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance due to the use of a right knee brace is denied as there was no evidence showing that the brace caused wear and tear on his clothing.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service injury and that there is no clear evidence of causation from other sources.