Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip and left knee disabilities, as secondary to his service-connected left foot disability due to inadequate examination report.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of August 11, 2015 for his entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected back and left knee conditions. The decision also states that the Veteran's TDIU claim was not granted prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and a higher initial rating for his left shoulder disability, cervical spinal stenosis and fusion, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and right shoulder disability. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee disability and left ear hearing loss, as they were not fully addressed in the previous rating decision. The appeal period begins from January 12, 2011, one year prior to the receipt of the increased rating claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in the cases of bilateral knee disorder and left shoulder disorder, as well as tinnitus. The AOJ must issue a SOC for the issue of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and request any outstanding records from the Veteran and VA. A VA examination is required to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder and left shoulder disorder.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral pes planus, right and left ankle arthritis, lower back arthritis, cervical spine disorder, right hip condition, left hip condition, major depression, right leg radiculopathy, right arm radiculopathy, erectile dysfunction (ED), left knee replacement, and right knee disability. The denial is based on the conclusion that these conditions did not pre-exist service or were not aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and TDIU is remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records review.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, right and left ankle disorders, right and left hip disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of the conditions, including the suprapatellar effusion and complex tear.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his right and left knee disabilities were denied. A separate rating of 20% was granted for the left knee semilunar cartilage dislocation starting from March 1, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2; a back and/or cervical spine disorder; hypertension (all claimed as secondary to service-connected disabilities); and a right knee disorder. The reasons given were that there was no evidence showing these conditions began during or were aggravated by service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claims of right and left knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right and left knee disorders due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's claims will be returned for further development, including obtaining MRI results and providing a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain additional medical records. The issues include seeking higher ratings for right knee conditions and determining if the Veteran is eligible for TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee conditions have been denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 10 percent for each of the two issues, with a separate rating of 10 percent prior to February 7, 2021, and a rating of 20 percent from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The issues of service connection for a dental disability, left knee disability, and hypertension are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of left and right knee disorders due to failure to schedule a VA examination as per prior instructions.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of an injury to the left index finger was denied as there is no current disability.,The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine was rated at 10 percent, with a finding that it does not meet criteria for higher ratings due to lack of functional impairment and normal examination findings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a temporary total disability rating for convalescence following surgeries on his right knee due to incomplete development of records and potential service connection issues.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his left knee and lumbar spine disabilities are being remanded due to procedural defects in the appeal process.