Knee decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for right knee disability was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a), but referred the case to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of an extra-schedular rating due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right and left knee chondromalacia patella as additional development is needed, including a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical spine (neck) disability, right leg disability (claimed as leg length inequality), and left knee disability. The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence showing a pre-existing condition in any of these disabilities, nor did it find aggravation during service or beyond its natural progression.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome and chondromalacia with gouty arthritis are currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that this rating is not sufficient to reflect his symptoms due to pain and functional loss during flare-ups.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder is currently rated as 20 percent disabled, but the evidence does not support a higher rating due to lack of forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less during flare-ups or repetitive use. The left and right knee disorders are both rated at 10 percent.,The Veteran's TBI, CFS, neuropathy of the upper extremities, and neuropathy of the lower extremity have not been service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left knee disability and denied service connection for this condition. The lung, hearing loss, skin cancer, back injury, and right knee conditions are all remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right hand swelling and right knee condition are being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, finding no evidence of a current disability in service or within one year after separation from service. The Board also found that any arthritis is not related to an in-service boxing injury and concluded that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an initial disability evaluation and rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee due to inadequate examination in the prior remand.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to non-compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's knee conditions are being evaluated again to determine their current severity.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran's right shoulder, right knee, chronic headaches (including as secondary to tinnitus), and sleep apnea are being reviewed again with additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and compliance with VA examination requirements.

The Veteran is granted TDIU for the period from March 1, 2014 to February 15, 2018 due to service-connected disabilities. The issue of TDIU for the period from November 15, 2012 to February 15, 2013 is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 1, 2017.

The Board has granted service connection for a left foot disorder, right foot disorder, and left knee disorder. The Veteran's sinusitis is also considered to have been incurred during her periods of active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for asthma, right knee disability, left knee disability, lower back pain, and left lower extremity pain due to a lack of VA examinations. The appellant contends that his disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for missing VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective date issues related to his right knee disability due to insufficient examination findings. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to assess current range of motion, including during flare-ups prior to July 8, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and recommends additional testing for gouty arthritis of bilateral knees, right foot, and right wrist.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder. The Board found that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,The VA examiner noted that the Veteran’s neck pain began in 1992 after an accident during training exercises, but there were no complaints or diagnoses of a cervical spine condition until 2014.