Knee decisions — 2022

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disability and bilateral knee disability, finding no evidence of such conditions within one year post-service or linked to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle disability, left ankle disability, back disability, and left hip disability. However, the Board denied service connection for a broken left rib, right knee disability, and left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to his failure to attend VA examinations and the need for additional private treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee disability and service connection for his right knee disability, including as secondary to his left knee disability. The Veteran will need to undergo an updated VA examination for both knees and receive an opinion regarding the etiology of his right knee disability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of service connection and increased ratings for his back, right shoulder, left knee disabilities. The Board dismissed these issues as a result.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal, leaving no issues for further consideration.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of sinusitis and denied service connection for this condition. The back disability and bilateral knee disability are remanded due to incomplete records, and the acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.

The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with its prior remand directives and further remand is necessary for the Veteran's right hip and knee claims.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his right knee disability and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's right knee DJD and instability, as well as left knee DJD and instability, have been granted disability ratings of 20 percent each since February 10, 2012. The Veteran also received separate ratings for medial meniscal tears in the right knee and residuals of meniscectomy in the left knee.

The Board has ordered the RO to remand two cases: one for an increased rating of left knee disability and another for an increased rating of degenerative arthritis of the spine. The remands are due to inadequate examinations that did not address all relevant symptoms, including flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to ensure that all necessary information is obtained before a decision can be made on the increased rating claims for bilateral knee disabilities, as well as the TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee condition and lumbar degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis, both claimed as secondary to service-connected left knee patellofemoral syndrome. The VA examiners were directed to provide opinions on whether these conditions are proximately due or aggravated by the service-connected left knee condition.

The Board denied a TDIU on an extraschedular basis, finding that the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability and sleep apnea alone do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that his symptoms do not warrant such an increase.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability. The issue of TDIU is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is being remanded due to the need for referral to VA's Director, Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left hand laceration scar was denied, and he is now receiving a 20 percent disability rating effective December 24, 2020.,His peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity remains rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, memory loss and concentration problems, is related to his active-duty service.,There is no persuasive evidence of a current bilateral wrist disability in the record.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip trochanteric bursitis, a left knee disorder, and a right knee disorder, all of which are claimed to be secondary to her service-connected left ankle disability. The evidence does not support finding that these conditions were caused or aggravated by her service-connected left ankle disability.