Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been withdrawn and dismissed. The Board has also remanded several claims due to the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 60 percent since April 1, 2017. The Board has denied a higher rating and an extension of the temporary total evaluation beyond April 1, 2017. The TDIU issue remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right ankle disorder has been withdrawn. The Board has also dismissed the claims for increased disability evaluation for right wrist fracture, back disorder, numbness of feet (presumably related to herbicide exposure), acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), left knee disorder, and right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions due to inadequate medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay testimony, pain as a disability, and the relationship of his blood disorder with his knee injuries during active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral knee conditions have been rated at 10 percent each, and the Board is remanding for a new examination to assess any worsening of his disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no nexus between his current condition and active service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to support a secondary service connection based on his service-connected left ankle/right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial ratings for his left knee disabilities due to new evidence received after the last VA examination in October 2017, which included a total left knee arthroplasty. The Veteran is scheduled for further examinations to determine current severity of his conditions.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 10 percent since May 25, 2017. The evidence does not support a higher rating as the flexion and extension of her knee do not meet criteria for a higher rating.,For the right hip disabilities, the Veteran has been granted compensable ratings for limitation of abduction (10%) from May 25, 2017, and limitation of extension (10%) since July 16, 2021. The flexion issue remains noncompensable.

The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia is rated at 10 percent, and his lumbar spine disability with radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities is rated at 60 percent. A separate 20 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy due to service-connected lumbar spine condition has been granted, as well as a separate 20 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy due to service-connected lumbar spine condition.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals, scar, status-post meniscectomy of the left knee is currently rated as noncompensable (0 percent) disabling. The Board has determined that a 10 percent disability evaluation is warranted for this condition under Diagnostic Code 7804.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that his current condition is related to an in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, including secondary to a right knee disability. The claims are being reviewed due to incomplete medical records and lack of clear evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's knee conditions.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent for left knee osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or arthritis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbosacral spine disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and right knee disorder have been denied. The Board found no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within the applicable presumptive periods.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to incomplete examination reports and lack of consideration of all relevant evidence. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to November 1, 2018 was denied as he had sufficient ratings for his service-connected disabilities to meet the threshold minimum rating criteria for consideration of a TDIU on a schedular basis. However, he was not entitled to a TDIU before that date due to his employment history and education.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU since November 1, 2018 is dismissed as moot because he already had a combined 100 percent schedular rating for his service-connected disabilities and received special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of left knee, right knee, and right hip conditions due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on several service-connected disabilities have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has determined that additional information is needed to decide the claims for service connection for hypertension, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and tinnitus. The Veteran's statements regarding in-service symptoms are considered, as well as VA treatment records.