Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings of various knee and ankle disabilities, tinnitus, and right little finger arthritis have been denied as the earliest possible effective date is April 9, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for dizziness, right ankle condition, left knee condition, lumbar spine condition, and prostate condition due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury and CIDP were remanded due to the need for further development. The effective date for the award of service connection for residuals of a left knee injury is set at December 8, 2017.

The appeal for service connection of a left hand disability is dismissed. The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have current hearing loss to a degree that qualifies as a ratable disability. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back, knee, and hip disabilities due to potential aggravation by pre-existing conditions.

The appeal is dismissed for the increased rating claims of right knee osteoarthritis, migraine headaches, status post fracture of the right ankle, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine osteoarthritis, right foot radiculopathy, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The appeals are remanded for further action on the remaining issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for post-operative residuals of a total right knee replacement and vision problems, to include dry eyes due to inadequate VA opinions. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability does not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations and evaluations to address the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability from September 1, 2007 to December 16, 2019, and the presence of radiculopathy. Additionally, a new examination is necessary for the left knee patellofemoral syndrome case.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 30 percent since September 8, 2015 for instability. The rating is granted as the Veteran has severe left knee instability requiring a brace and cane to ambulate.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease, and that any current knee conditions are not related to his service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need for updated VA examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a sinus condition and a right knee disability due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's lay statements support his assertions that these conditions began during or shortly after his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right shoulder, knee, and elbow/wrist disabilities due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service. Additional development is needed.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for right and left knee disorders due to incomplete medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for various disabilities, including lumbar spine disability, left and right sciatic neuropathy, right shoulder disability, right knee limitation of motion, left knee limitation of motion, and left knee instability. The case is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a 30% evaluation for his service-connected left partial bipartite patellectomy with degenerative changes prior to April 22, 2022 was granted.,An initial compensable evaluation (10%) for limitation of extension of the left knee was denied.,A separate 20% evaluation for a left knee meniscal tear was granted.,A 10% evaluation for a left knee scar associated with a partial bipartite patellectomy was also granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including a new VA knee examination. The Veteran's right knee instability is now granted with an effective date of July 1, 2014.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee degenerative arthritis and instability due to inadequate reasons or bases in the previous decisions. The Veteran is required to be provided with a VA examination to assess his current severity of these conditions, including functional loss.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disorders, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship between the conditions and the Veteran's military service.