Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder, an initial compensable rating for his left knee scar, and an increased rating for his left knee disability due to inadequate examinations.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for right knee patellofemoral syndrome and instability were denied as the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee pain, left knee pain, and neck pain. The VA examiners' opinions were inadequate as they did not address the Veteran's lay statements regarding his in-service injury. Additional medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are related to his service.

The VA has ordered the remand of three cases related to a veteran's knee conditions. The first case involves right knee meniscectomy residuals before January 13, 2009; the second concerns right total knee arthroplasty residuals from March 1, 2010, to February 28, 2017; and the third is for right total knee arthroplasty residuals as of March 1, 2017. The VA needs to obtain all outstanding treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examinations and new evidence submitted within one year of the July 2013 rating decision. The Veteran is expected to attend VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's initial ratings for left and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with healed tibia stress fracture, as well as his initial ratings for left and right knee subluxation, have been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not caused by repetitive trauma incurred during his military service.

The Board has remanded several claims related to the Veteran's knee disabilities and TDIU, including evaluations for right and left knee conditions prior to specific dates, as well as evaluations for total knee replacements. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to potential unemployment caused by these disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disorder, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected right knee disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further action on his hearing loss claim and right knee disability. The Board finds that the effective date of service connection should be July 20, 1968, but no earlier, due to a deficiency in the 1969 decision notice. For his right knee disability, a separate 20 percent rating is granted for meniscectomy residuals from October 26, 2015.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes and remanded the issues of increased ratings for skin condition and knee disabilities. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, as well as other disability ratings. The VA is instructed to obtain medical records and provide an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's knee disorders.

The Board has remanded the appeal for additional development, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion and scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities. The issues of increased ratings for his right knee instability and TDIU are also being remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for service-connected left knee osteoarthritis prior to November 16, 2020.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was granted with an initial evaluation of 50 percent. The claims for service connection for other conditions were denied, and the case is remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of left knee, right knee, and left ankle conditions due to a lack of current diagnoses or functional impairment.,There is no evidence showing that the Veteran currently suffers from any diagnosed knee or ankle condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that the Veteran's current left knee osteoarthritis and meniscal tear status post arthroscopic partial lateral meniscectomy are at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a new VA medical examination to determine the current severity level of his service-connected left knee, as the January 2020 VA examination did not specify whether measurements for range of motion testing were passive or non-weight-bearing.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including a VA examination to address the current severity of the status post cholecystectomy and the relationship between the Veteran's diagnosed left knee degenerative arthritis and service. The right knee disability and left shoulder disability claims are also being remanded for additional opinions regarding their ratings.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasons and bases for denying service connection for various conditions, including low back disorder, neck disorder, bilateral knee disorder, right elbow disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The Veteran's lay assertions of chronicity and continuity of symptoms since service are to be considered.