Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of secondary service connection for left knee condition and lack of an opinion regarding whether right knee disability aggravated left knee condition.

The Veteran's right knee disability was granted service connection effective September 3, 2002. The left knee disability was granted service connection effective July 13, 2008.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and a need for further medical opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and hemorrhoids. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development, including a need for a VA examination and consideration of whether a separate rating is warranted for instability. The Veteran's right knee disability claim will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for his left and right knee disorders due to incomplete review of evidence, including a discrepancy in range of motion measurements between two VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back injury, right hip pain, left hip pain, and right and left knee pain. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (depression and insomnia) secondary to tinnitus is also remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral knee disorders. The case is being returned to the Board for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, right knee degenerative arthritis, and pseudofolliculitis barbae, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since November 2014. Effective from March 30, 2016 (the date of claim for the underlying grant of service connection for major depressive disorder), he is granted TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is related to service, granting his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities do not meet or approximate the criteria for increased ratings, as they have not shown loss of extension more than 5 degrees in either knee.

The Veteran's right knee extension is granted a 30 percent disability rating, while her limitation of flexion remains at 10 percent. The left shoulder condition was not addressed due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on multiple knee and ankle conditions, as well as hypertension, are being remanded to the RO for initial consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral foot and knee conditions due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran served in active duty from June 1971 to June 1975, and in the Air National Guard from October 2001 to August 2002.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for obtaining missing treatment records related to pleurisy tuberculosis and bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran's claims of service connection are also being remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 50 percent for limitation of extension and 30 percent for instability, resulting in a combined rating of 70 percent. No higher ratings are available under any applicable codes.,For the left knee, the Veteran has been granted a separate 10 percent rating based on symptomatic removal of the semilunar cartilage due to frequent effusion. The anterior cruciate tear and limitation of flexion do not warrant additional ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to her military service.

Service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand is granted. The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder, right knee disability, and left knee disability are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for arthritis of various joints prior to September 27, 2002 were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his right shoulder and left knee disabilities due to inadequate prior VA examinations. The Veteran needs new examinations to assess the severity of his conditions, including whether he experiences flare-ups that affect his range of motion.