Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of osteoarthritis, right knee due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship with the service-connected right knee instability.

The Board has determined that the VA's post-remand opinions are inadequate and requires further development to address the Veteran's neck and knee disabilities, including considering his testimony about military service-related injuries.

The Veteran's left knee disability is found to be caused by his service-connected pulmonary sarcoidosis, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's right and left foot disabilities, as well as his right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and back disabilities are all granted service connection.,Service connection is established for these conditions based on their direct relationship to the Veteran's in-service injuries.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at the maximum allowed, and he cannot receive a higher rating due to the amputation rule. The right wrist disability is currently rated at its maximum allowed.,The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issue of service connection for a right knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, lumbar spine disability on secondary basis to the service-connected left knee disability, and a left knee scar. The Veteran's conditions are related to his in-service injuries.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection of right and left leg disorders due to unresolved medical questions regarding their etiology. The case is being sent back for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as service connected, and he is granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to June 25, 2007 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C service connection is granted. The ratings for his knee and lumbar spine disabilities are also granted, with some periods of time having temporary increased ratings.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased disability evaluations and TDIU related to various knee conditions, radiculopathy, and hypertension. The claims are dismissed as a result.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection in writing, effectively dismissing the claims.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral knee disabilities. The conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including limitation of motion and recurrent subluxation, is currently rated at 30 percent since December 13, 2021.

The Veteran's request for clothing allowances based on the use of back and left knee braces is remanded due to missing VA treatment records and prosthetic records.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, asthma, COPD, heart disability, hypertension, and carpal tunnel syndrome of the hands due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,Service connection was also not granted for increased rating for vertigo and total disability individual unemployability (TDIU) issues.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee condition and remanded the issues of service connection for left hip arthritis, chronic lower back pain, and right hip arthritis.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment for the period from December 20, 2013 to August 9, 2019. The Board granted a TDIU based solely on his PTSD during this period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of September 30, 2008. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period from September 30, 2008, to July 16, 2009.

The Veteran's combined rating for his left knee disability is 60 percent from April 3, 2015. The claim of increased ratings prior to this date is denied as a matter of law due to the 'amputation rule'.