Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities due to inadequate examination and medical opinion. The case is sent back for further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right knee disability, including its onset and etiology. The Veteran will need a VA examination to provide this information.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his depressive disorder, bilateral knee disabilities, IBS, migraine headaches, spinal stenosis, and radiculopathies, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation in his previous employment as an oil driller. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from February 2, 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for left ankle disorder and right knee disability, as secondary to a left ankle disorder. The decision is based on insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle disorder.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for the appellant's service-connected PTSD from October 21, 2015. The right knee disability is rated based on symptomatic residuals and osteoarthritis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's DJD of the left knee and his service. The case will be returned for further examination and a new opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including headaches, sleep apnea, and knee problems, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment since December 18, 2018. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on unemployability (TDIU) effective from that date.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and instability have been remanded for further evaluation due to the severity of her symptoms, which include pain, swelling, weakness, and functional loss.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral leg disability, right knee degenerative joint disease (limitation of extension), right knee instability, and PTSD. The RO is instructed to attempt to obtain private medical records identified by the appellant and consider entitlement to a TDIU for the period beginning June 17, 2021.

The Veteran's appeals for reopening service connection for various conditions and granting service connection for hysterectomy residuals, right knee DJD, left knee DJD, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depressive disorder), and GERD have been dismissed. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a causal relationship between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities have been denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for migraine headaches, left knee condition (patellofemoral pain syndrome), and obstructive sleep apnea. The appeals are remanded for further action on the remaining issues.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease, status-post arthroplasty, is rated at the minimum 30 percent level. The claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent was denied. For TDIU prior to January 5, 2016, it was also denied as his employment did not constitute marginal employment and his service-connected disabilities were not severe enough to preclude him from substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of substantial compliance with previous remand instructions regarding the Veteran's left knee range of motion measurements.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's bilateral knee and hip disabilities, including higher ratings for left knee arthritis, instability, right TKR, left THA, and right hip arthritis. The remand requires additional VA opinions addressing the severity of these conditions based on the June 2011 and December 2019 VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Board has granted a separate rating for right knee instability and has remanded the issue of entitlement to a higher rating for the service-connected right femoral fracture with traumatic arthritis right knee condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions regarding pre-service existence of conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for back, right knee, and left knee conditions due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims as they are not about service connection.