Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for neck, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including PTSD, an eye disability, hearing loss in the right ear, cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, left foot disability, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and bilateral shoulder disabilities. The remand requires additional development to address the claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for total right hip replacement, total left knee replacement, and tear of the lateral meniscus with macerated posterior horn, right knee. The decision found no link between these conditions and military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in several areas, including obtaining a supplemental statement of the case for one issue and requesting authorization to obtain medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are also remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability with IVDS is granted a 60 percent evaluation, left lower extremity radiculopathy is denied any higher than 20 percent, and right knee disability is denied any higher than 10 percent. Total disability due to individual unemployability is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability due to insufficient evidence and a need for a more contemporaneous examination.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating. The combined impact of his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, OSA, IHD, and degenerative arthritis of the right knee, renders him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to December 10, 2017.

The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities prior to December 21, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right patella fracture residuals and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, as well as the TDIU claim prior to July 7, 2017, are being remanded due to insufficient evidence. Further VA examinations and records are needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to substantially fulfill the requirements of a previous remand. The appeal is now back for further development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine the current severity of the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, including conducting VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining missing service records and a new VA medical opinion to determine if the appellant was insane due to disease at the time of his military offenses.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is granted with a 20% rating prior to August 11, 2020 and denied for higher ratings thereafter. A separate 20% rating is granted for painful scars associated with the right ankle and left knee as of August 11, 2020. The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is granted a 30% rating from March 1, 2018 to August 10, 2020 and denied for higher ratings thereafter.

The Veteran's left foot disability, right foot disability, acquired psychiatric disability, COPD, GERD, left knee disability, and right knee disability are all granted as service-connected. The OSA claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has granted the reopening of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and remanded the remaining issues due to lack of evidence in the record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to incomplete records and outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for psoriasis and right knee degenerative arthritis have been granted. The claim for a scar of the left knee has not been substantiated.

The Veteran was not found to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities other than the loss of use of bilateral lower extremities, which is why he did not meet the criteria for SMC(o).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right knee disability and TDIU due to inadequate VA examinations in previous years. The Veteran needs a new examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions and outstanding VA treatment records.