Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has dismissed the appeals as they are related to claims of new and material evidence for various conditions, including bilateral ankle disability, pes planus, tinea cruris, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Board has restored service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions and denied requests to sever separate evaluations.

The Board has restored a 20 percent rating for left knee instability from January 1, 2019 to June 1, 2021 and granted a temporary total rating based on surgery necessitating convalescence for the left knee disability from August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022. The Board has also granted SMC at the housebound rate for the period from December 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022. However, the Veteran's claim of a rating in excess of 20 percent for left knee instability is remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 20% for limitation of flexion, and a separate rating of 20% has been granted for limitation of extension. The appeal for a higher rating for the limitation of extension remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of current medical examination for the right knee disability, which may warrant a higher rating. The Veteran's right knee disability includes limitation of flexion and episodes of instability.

The Board dismissed all issues related to the veteran's right knee disability as they were not properly presented for review due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's right knee strain, but remanded to consider additional separate and higher ratings due to recent revisions in the applicable rating criteria. The Veteran is also entitled to an increased rating for his osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for his left knee strain with degenerative arthritic changes and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is being remanded due to the VA Regional Office not having considered a recent VA-contracted examination in their decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a new VA examination due to incomplete information in the previous examination. The issues include rating his bilateral knee disability and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for back disability, left knee disability, left elbow disability, right elbow disability, left hand disability, right hand disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability due to inadequate opinions addressing both etiology and pathophysiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and incomplete reasoning in previous decisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities other than his already service-connected torn medial meniscus were reopened. The Board found that the Veteran had a current diagnosis of osteoarthritis in both knees, which established direct service connection. Service connection was also granted for the Veteran's left knee disability as secondary to his right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to November 21, 2016, prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee degenerative joint disease remains before the Board and will be addressed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shin splints, ankle disability, and knee disability due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran is required to provide another in-person VA examination with a complete written history and proper rationale.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for right knee osteoarthritis and a temporary total rating based on convalescence after arthroscopic surgery was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an increased rating or a temporary total rating.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back condition but has remanded his bilateral knee condition claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, low back, right knee, and right leg disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during her military service.

The Veteran's back disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's right knee DJD is currently rated at 10 percent based on limitation of flexion. The Board finds that this rating is appropriate given the limited range of motion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extra-schedular basis due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left knee replacement is denied as there was no chronic in-service condition, and the current disability is not related to service.,Service connection for cervical spine disorder is denied due to lack of a chronic in-service condition or continuity of symptomatology post-service.,Service connection for lumbar spine disorder is denied because it did not manifest within the applicable presumptive period and there was no evidence of continuity of symptoms. The current disability is also not related to service.,Service connection for cervical radiculopathy is denied as there was no in-service injury or disease, and the current condition is not related to service.,Service connection for lumbar radiculopathy is denied because it did not manifest within the applicable presumptive period and there was no evidence of continuity of symptoms. The current disability is also not related to service.