Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 20 percent since February 7, 2021. This rating is granted for the entire period on appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection of right knee, left knee, and back disabilities due to new evidence received since the last final denial. However, the claims are still remanded as the VA medical opinions provided were inadequate.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right hand pain, sinus disability, right knee and ankle disabilities, cervical spine disability, left foot plantar fasciitis, thyroid disability, gallbladder removal with residuals, hysterectomy, and SMC based on loss of use. The VA is instructed to obtain medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions in light of the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine and right knee disabilities, as well as service connection for constipation secondary to his cervical spine disability. The remand requires additional VA examinations to address functional loss due to pain during range of motion testing.

The Veteran's TDIU and SMC claims for prior to August 23, 2018, were denied as his unemployability was not solely due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on eleven service-connected disabilities is dismissed due to the absence of a notice of disagreement (NOD) for the October 2017 rating decision that awarded the maximum, 50 percent rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions in the record.

The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome was granted a rating of 20 percent prior to April 6, 2022. From that date onwards, the claim for an increased rating remains pending and is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for residuals of total right knee replacement was denied. However, the Veteran received a grant of service connection for right knee numbness (external popliteal nerve) with a 20% disability rating effective July 24, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and hip disabilities due to insufficient examination reports that did not adequately consider the Veteran's lay testimony regarding his symptoms and their relation to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right total knee arthroplasty is currently rated at 60 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The issue of entitlement to TDIU has been raised by the record but requires further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records, specifically inpatient clinical records from February and March 1977 related to knee and back conditions. The Veteran's service treatment records are negative for knee treatment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and left knee disability have been granted. The effective date remains July 21, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and cervical spine degenerative disc disease, left and right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, bilateral hip disability, and bilateral knee osteoarthritis. The issues of service connection for a bilateral hand disability, sinus disability, retention cyst maxillary sinus, varicose vein disability of the bilateral lower extremities, urinary incontinence disability, and service connection for sleep apnea have been remanded.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to September 30, 2021, and compensable rating thereafter for service-connected left knee disability based on extension due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, right and left lumbar radiculopathy, and left knee posttraumatic osteoarthritis have been granted initial ratings. A TDIU has also been granted.

The Board denied increased ratings for left and right knee patellofemoral syndrome, finding that the Veteran's most severe condition was limitation of flexion to 125 degrees with pain, stiffness, popping, and grinding (crepitus).

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination reports, requiring additional development and opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Veteran's low back condition, right leg neurological condition, and residuals of hernia condition are now service-connected.,The Veteran's left groin condition is secondary to his service-connected hernia condition.,Service connection has been granted for the Veteran's left thumb, left knee, and right knee conditions.