Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has denied service connection for right hand, right hip, left hand, left hip, and left foot disabilities. The claims for right knee, left knee, and back disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of increased disability ratings for bilateral total knee replacements and TDIU due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of a thorough VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left knee disability, and right knee disability due to the Veteran's bilateral ankle disabilities. The decision is based on evidence showing that these conditions are related to his service-connected ankle disabilities.

The petition to reopen the claims for service connection for Meniere's disease, migraine headaches, bilateral wrist disorder, low back disorder, right ear hearing loss, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder is granted.,Service connection is established for Meniere's disease and secondary service connection for migraine headaches are also granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's left knee disability is secondary to her service-connected left ankle disability, and whether she has a skin disability that was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, and low back disorders is granted. The cases are REMANDED due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for various lower extremity and upper body disabilities, including back pain, neck disability, ankle disabilities, foot disability, knee disabilities, hip disabilities, and shoulder disabilities. The VA will conduct additional examinations and obtain updated medical records before deciding these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, left hip, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate opinions provided by VA examiners.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and opinion regarding direct service connection for a right knee disorder and whether it is aggravated by service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain additional medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle, right knee, and low back disabilities are being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation before April 10, 2018. His TDIU claim is denied as there was no evidence of unemployability due to his service-connected conditions prior to that date.

The Veteran's service-connected left tibia stress fracture, left knee osteoarthritis/instability, and right knee osteoarthritis disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation due to new evidence indicating worsening of the conditions.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for a right knee scar and painful right knee scar have been denied. The case is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations regarding his bilateral foot disability, which may affect his TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and additional development is required.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine is denied.,Additional issues related to service connection and increased ratings are remanded.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right knee, status post arthroscopy with chondromalacia due to its potential change in state over the past five years.

The Veteran's low back disability is found to be related to service, and he meets the criteria for TDIU from May 26, 2016 onwards.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a bilateral upper and lower leg condition to include as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disability, bilateral hip disability, and low back disability. The rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee recurrent subluxation prior to February 7, 2017 and limitation of flexion with painful motion is denied. The rating in excess of 30 percent for right total knee arthroplasty from April 1, 2018 is also denied.

The Veteran's headaches started in service and have continued. The Board finds the Veteran and service treatment records persuasive, finding that his headaches had their onset in service and have continued following service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The back, right knee, left knee, and bilateral foot conditions are remanded for further development.