Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to delays in processing and potential issues with the VA examination process.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability has precluded all substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him since January 30, 2014.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for acne vulgaris and has remanded the remaining claims on appeal due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the current diagnoses are not causally related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment since March 28, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

Your claims for service connection have been granted, but the decision is a full grant of the benefits sought.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to February 28, 2014 (bilateral hearing loss) and January 31, 2018 (CAD) are denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 31, 2018 for TDIU is denied as there was no formal or informal claim filed before that date.

Service connection has been granted for lumbar spine, left hip, and right hip disabilities.,The claims of service connection for left knee and right knee disabilities are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his right knee condition was denied because he failed to report for a necessary VA examination, and the evidence of record is not sufficient to support assigning an increased disability rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for joint pain, to include a bilateral knee condition, and sleep disturbances due to further development being necessary.

The Board has granted service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy, left knee disability, right knee disability, gastritis, and bilateral onychomycosis and tinea pedis of the feet. The claims were previously remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee disability, as the July 2020 VA examiner improperly relied on the absence of medical records and assumed certain facts without clear explanation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee torn meniscus status post meniscectomy with asymptomatic scar and left knee limitation of flexion due to a lack of recent VA examination reports, as well as the need for additional development regarding instability and range of motion.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased disability evaluations in various conditions, with some issues granted and others not. Service connection for a lung disorder was also established.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate for adjudication, and additional evidence is needed. The Veteran's right knee disability and neurological condition remain under review.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been reopened and is granted.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, low back disability, and skin condition of the left foot have not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities due to a lack of clarity regarding the Veteran's theory of entitlement. The Veteran now contends that these conditions are directly related to her service, specifically an injury she sustained in October 1990 during her active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric condition (including anxiety disorder and depression) have been dismissed as the appeals are not about service connection at all. The Veteran was granted service connection for post left knee arthroscopy meniscal repair, left knee arthroscopic surgical scar, and a left knee strain in November 2021.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's right knee disability is not related to military service, and his current bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.