Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition and granted it, finding that his current diagnoses of right knee meniscal tear, anterior cruciate ligament tear, and osteoarthritis are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected comminuted fracture right tibia and fibula.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the failure of the VA examiner to provide a retroactive medical opinion and to consider the Veteran's testimony at his May 2009 DRO hearing regarding swelling and inability to bend his left knee. The case is being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to comply with previous remand directives regarding obtaining non-VA treatment records and providing a new VA medical opinion for the severity of the right knee disability prior to October 16, 2019.

The Veteran's right knee tricompartmental osteoarthritis is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum under DC 5010. The Board has remanded for further development regarding other issues including a compensable evaluation for arthritis with limitation of extension and an increased rating for ACL and MMT repair.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a right knee condition and a right ankle injury due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for entitlement to increased rating for a left ankle disability, service connection for low back disability and right knee disability due to need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's total left knee replacement is granted with a 60% rating effective September 1, 2021.,A separate 10% rating for left knee instability prior to November 13, 2017, is granted. From November 13, 2017, the maximum available rating of 60% precludes a separate rating for instability.,No new effective date was provided as the Veteran's total left knee replacement remains at 60%. A separate rating for left knee instability from November 13, 2017, is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and left knee osteoarthritis did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to August 15, 2017.

The Board denied service connection for left knee gout and right knee gout as there was no current diagnosis of these conditions during the appeal period.

The Veteran's cervical strain is granted a 30% rating effective May 16, 2022.,A separate 30% rating for right upper extremity ulnar neuropathy is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee instability, and hypertension are being remanded due to the failure to appear at scheduled VA examinations. Further development is required to assess the current severity of these disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is granted as service connected. The Veteran's vision and left knee disabilities are denied as not related to service. The Veteran's hypertension and stroke are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee condition is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a knee disorder in either knee.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of frostbite of hands and feet is denied as the evidence does not indicate he has a current disorder or any residuals.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for left knee conditions was denied. The decision upheld a 30% rating for limitation of extension, and granted a 20% rating for lateral instability from September 3, 2021 onwards.

The Veteran's initial rating for thoracolumbar spine disability was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to August 29, 2009.,The Veteran's increased rating claim for thoracolumbar spine disability since August 29, 2009 was also denied due to lack of evidence meeting the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded all claims for review by the AOJ due to additional medical evidence being associated with the claims file since the December 2018 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and degenerative arthritis are granted, with the latter being decided on the merits due to new evidence received since the final rating decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of osteoarthritis, right knee, finding that there is no evidence to show treatment for right knee symptoms during active-duty service and no arthritis shown within one year after separation from service.