Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has granted the appeal for service connection of back, left knee, and right knee disabilities based on receipt of new and relevant evidence. The Veteran's siblings' lay statements have been considered, which support his claims that he experienced symptoms in Vietnam and continued to experience them post-service.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, as well as his low back and sciatic nerve radiculopathy, are granted service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold criteria for a serious injury, thus denying his appeal seeking PCAFC eligibility.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis has been granted service connection. The Board also remanded the claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left hip replacement, and right hip replacement due to incomplete records.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various lower extremity and back conditions as secondary to a service-connected left ankle disability due to inadequate medical opinions addressing the issue of secondary aggravation.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD; a neck disability; a left shoulder disability; and degenerative joint disease of the left knee. The evidence did not support the finding that these conditions had their onset during service or were otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, right shoulder condition, and right knee condition due to insufficient medical opinions and potential exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, and right knee disability are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a separate and distinct diagnosis of anxiety. The claims for service connection for blurred vision, cephalgia (headaches), chronic sinusitis, and Osgood-Schlatter Disease, left knee are REMANDED as additional development is needed to address whether these conditions are related to service-connected disabilities or other factors.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted as presumptively related to his service in Southwest Asia. The right knee osteoarthritis claim was denied, but the Veteran received a 50% disability rating for his acquired psychiatric disorders starting October 1, 2019 and TDIU from December 18, 2019.

The Board has granted an extension of a temporary 100 percent rating for the Veteran's right knee disability through August 31, 2017. The case is remanded for further development regarding increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected right knee disability and TDIU due to service-connected disability. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination, obtain any outstanding treatment records, and complete a formal application for TDIU.

The Veteran's initial increased rating claim for a right knee disability is denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, left knee, and right knee disorders due to a failure to appear for a VA examination.,There is no evidence of record supporting direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for chondromalacia of the left knee and right knee, as well as bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection was established based on in-service injury and acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee instability are remanded due to the need for an adequate opinion from an orthopedic specialist.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions and need for additional development.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his right knee disability is denied. The RO granted a temporary total evaluation following the Veteran's June 2013 arthroscopy, but this was not applicable as he did not meet the criteria for such an evaluation. From August 1, 2017 to June 5, 2022, the Veteran received a 60% rating for his right knee disability due to severe painful motion or weakness. However, from June 6, 2022 onward, the Veteran's claim was denied as he no longer met the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for her right knee disability was denied by the Board, with some issues being granted a temporary 100% rating based on partial knee replacement from October 23, 2019 to December 1, 2020. The appeals were remanded multiple times due to procedural issues and the application of outdated caselaw.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted.,The issues of entitlement to service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as other claims, are being remanded for further development.