Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to incomplete sentences and lack of clarity in the September 2021 opinion, as well as the need for clarification on the impact of ameliorative medication. The Veteran is also required to submit a VA Form 21-8940.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis and instability are currently rated at 10 percent each, with a separate 20 percent rating for the meniscus disability. The left knee strain is also rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Veteran's service connection claim for medullary sponge kidney disease with kidney cyst is granted. The claims for right shoulder and right knee disabilities are denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to issues with the July 2022 VA examiner and other procedural matters. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for residual surgical scar, associated with right knee disability and entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 3, 2019. The AOJ is required to issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case regarding these issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee condition, left knee condition, right shoulder condition, and left shoulder condition due to a lack of documentation in STRs.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for addendum opinions regarding his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various spine and foot disorders due to incomplete records and a change in address.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and secondary service connection for a back disability. The claim for entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease and patellofemoral symptoms with chondromalacia of the left and right knees are not rated higher than 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for SMC due to his service-connected disabilities, and it is unclear if he qualifies for higher levels of SMC based on his current conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, including degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the spine, and a left knee disability, including ostearthritis of the knee status post total knee replacement. The Veteran's claims were not granted as his conditions are not shown to be related to service.,Service connection was also denied for residuals of a traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's left and right knee degenerative joint diseases are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the Board has granted separate 10 percent ratings for recurrent subluxation or lateral instability of both knees effective from February 21, 2019.

The Board has dismissed the appeals due to a procedural issue and is now remanding for further development, including issuing an SOC.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a back disability, right ankle and hip/knee disabilities, and a sleep disability. The issues are related to whether these conditions are directly related to the Veteran's military service or other previously service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition has been reopened. A rating in excess of 10 percent prior to March 26, 2021, for his lumbar spine condition is denied. A 20 percent rating for the lumbar spine condition from March 26, 2021, and a separate 10 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy are granted. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for GERD, panic disorder, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's left and right knee disorders have been granted separate ratings, with the right knee disorder receiving a rating of 30 percent. The effective date is not specified.