Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation for the period from September 21, 2012 to December 4, 2012. The Board granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to the combined impact of multiple service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right knee strain is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and a higher rating of 20 percent is granted.,A separate 10 percent rating for instability in the right knee is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to April 10, 2014. The case is REMANDED for additional development.

The Veteran's appeals for pneumonia, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and hemorrhoids have been dismissed. The appeal to reopen his psychiatric disorder claim has been granted. The remaining claims are remanded due to new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder AC joint osteoarthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, and left ankle osteoarthritis as these conditions are found to be related to active duty service.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the issues on appeal, including obtaining relevant medical records and providing addendum opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and left knee disorder due to inadequate examinations, insufficient reasons and bases for the denials, and outstanding private records that need to be obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of in-service onset and insufficient medical opinion to support a secondary service connection. The Board concluded that the persuasive weight of the evidence was against the claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his low back disability, right knee instability, and left knee instability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or ankylosis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees, as well as instability of both knees, have been denied. The current ratings are deemed appropriate based on the severity of symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because they died during the pendency of their appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient evidence regarding the claimed conditions.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for various conditions as they are moot due to the appellant having been reimbursed for expenses related to her brother's last sickness and burial.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantial gainful employment prior to March 28, 2022. As of March 28, 2022, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete records regarding his left knee surgery. The Board requests that the RO obtain signed consent forms and any referenced documents from his April 2013 surgery.

The Veteran is entitled to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from May 1, 2013 to February 1, 2021. The Board has determined that the evidence raises a question as to whether the Veteran was capable of maintaining substantially gainful employment for the period prior to May 1, 2013, in spite of not meeting the schedular requirement for a TDIU during that time.

The Veteran's TDIU claim has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the issues of increased ratings for lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic right and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees, but has remanded the issue of a rating in excess of 10 percent for supraventricular arrhythmia.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his right knee condition and service connection for an upper back or neck condition was denied. The rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee strain with degenerative joint disease is denied, as the disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion. A separate rating for right knee instability prior to May 12, 2021, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter is also denied.