Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran is granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability beginning April 1, 2013. The right knee degenerative joint disease claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service or his service-connected ankle disabilities. The Veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations that could have provided such evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that it is due to his active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational background during the period from December 23, 2011 to February 20, 2013.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development and adjudication due to inadequate previous examinations, specifically those conducted in February 2014 and January 2020. The Veteran is seeking a higher disability rating for his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and bilateral knee disability due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of these conditions during or within one year after active service.,There were no findings of current disabilities in the Veteran's STRs or subsequent VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected left hip replacement with scar is granted a higher rating from July 21, 2016. Service connection for his left shoulder and left knee conditions are both established as secondary to service.

The Veteran's right and left knee disorders were denied as the evidence did not show that they warranted a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted the reopening of service connection for a left knee disability and established service connection for this condition. The Veteran's lay reports, along with VA examination findings, have provided sufficient evidence to reopen the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee conditions do not allow him to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for bilateral pes planus, degenerative disc disease and anterolisthesis of the lumbar spine, degenerative joint disease and chondromalacia of the left knee, degenerative joint disease and chondromalacia of the right knee, and umbilical hernia with residual scar due to additional evidence or functional loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right leg or knee disability, finding no current diagnosis of such disabilities and thus no basis to grant the claim.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection. The Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and left knee disability are currently under review.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with depressed mood and other service-connected conditions have been granted a 70 percent disability rating, effective as of the date of this decision. The Board has also determined that he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities and has granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected left knee and spine disabilities, as the previous VA examinations did not adequately address these issues.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right knee and low back disabilities, as well as his ability to perform occupational tasks due to these conditions. The TDIU case is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,Specifically, more information is needed regarding functional loss during flare-ups and the application of the revised criteria for evaluating knee instability under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, but service connection is not granted.,Service connection was denied for right collar bone condition, left knee disability, left wrist disability, and left shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disability and bilateral flatfoot disability due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including arthritis and instability, is rated at 10 percent prior to November 30, 2021, and 40 percent since then. A separate 20 percent rating for instability remains in effect. The claim for a higher rating for the arthritis component of his right knee disability is denied. The claim for a higher rating for instability is granted.