Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right ankle sprain, right knee disability, left knee disability, residuals of left thumb fracture, and residuals of right thumb fracture have been denied as the evidence does not support higher ratings.

The Veteran's appeal for a combined disability rating in excess of 70 percent is dismissed, and the Board grants entitlement to TDIU prior to April 16, 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine, bilateral knee, respiratory, and tremor disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous decisions.,Additional development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his obesity, which is a substantial factor in causing his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU from July 23, 2012 to October 7, 2014 is remanded due to the incorrect referral of evidence and lack of substantial compliance with the Board's previous remand.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a right knee disorder, diabetes mellitus (DM), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support the appeals.,A separate claim for depression was also raised but not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's knee braces, which are prescribed for his service-connected knee disability, cause wear and tear on his outer garments. The Board has granted annual clothing allowances for 2015, 2016, and 2017 due to the constant rubbing of the braces.

The Board denied a continued separate rating under Diagnostic Code 5258 for the Veteran's right knee disability to include dislocation of semilunar cartilage from October 3, 2012. The evidence did not support assigning separate ratings under both Diagnostic Codes 5258 and 5261 due to overlapping symptomatology.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations, which is considered non-compliance with prior remand directives.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee and ankle disabilities result in functional impairment equivalent to loss of use of the right lower extremity, allowing her to be eligible for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing knee condition was not aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for heel, knee, and ankle disabilities due to inadequate examination in August 2013. The Veteran should undergo a VA examination to determine if he has current diagnoses related to his heels, knees, and ankles.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left knee degenerative joint disease. The conditions are considered direct service connections based on the Veteran's in-service symptoms and current diagnoses.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is granted as service-connected.,There is no clear and unmistakable evidence provided by VA to show that the Veteran's right hand or left hand osteoarthritis were aggravated during his military service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's chondromalacia of the left knee with degenerative joint disease, finding that the current evaluation adequately reflects moderate instability or subluxation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee condition and left knee meniscal tear, as well as his claim for TDIU. The evidence did not support the presence of current diagnoses or a causal relationship to service.

The Board has determined that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities. Additionally, all relevant medical records from SSA must be obtained for consideration in the TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in effective dates and rating determinations, requiring further development of claims for service connection for left knee disability and increased ratings for right fibula fracture and its residuals.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inconsistencies in the November 2021 VA examination and failure to provide an opinion regarding flare-ups of the Veteran's right knee.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic trauma, and service connection for this condition has been granted.,There is no persuasive evidence that the Veteran currently has a left knee disability that began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.