Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee disability, right ankle disability, and heart disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various knee and hip disabilities have been denied. The RO found that the Veteran's flexion, instability, and extension limitations did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating determinations due to incomplete development. The hearing loss claim is denied, while the remaining issues are remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a right ankle disability, service connection for a right knee disability, and service connection for a back disability due to new evidence indicating worsening symptoms.

The Veteran's spouse is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance due to her disabilities that require regular assistance from another person.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran is requested to provide any additional relevant medical records.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and has remanded the remaining claims of service connection for various disabilities. The Veteran is required to provide updated VA records, as well as obtain relevant Federal records from USPS and OPM.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis is granted beginning November 12, 2009.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder and bicep conditions as secondary to his service-connected right thigh shell fragment wound residuals, but denied service connection for his lumbar spine condition as secondary to his service-connected right thigh condition.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities have been granted increased ratings, with the left knee receiving a 20% rating effective February 2, 2007, and the right knee receiving a 20% rating effective October 22, 2018.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent her from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, as she is already in receipt of a combined 100% rating for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's disability ratings for right and left knee instability, as well as his right and left knee disabilities, have been restored to their previous levels effective August 1, 2021. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for these conditions remain pending.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for erectile dysfunction is denied.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional development, including new VA examinations.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee disability are also remanded.

The Veteran's headaches are not service-connected, as they are considered a symptom of his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection is granted for moderate restrictive ventilation disorder (previously characterized as breathing problems), low back disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability.

The Veteran's left knee disability and instability have been granted with separate ratings. The respiratory and peripheral neuropathy issues are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to military service or service-connected sarcoidosis.

The Veteran's left knee limitation of flexion was not limited to no more than 30 degrees or less during the entire appeal period, and a separate rating of 10 percent for removal of left knee semilunar cartilage that is symptomatic has been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation due to VA medical treatment, as well as his claim of a left knee disability secondary to lower extremity radiculopathy. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's claims for service connection related to her right and left leg disabilities, bronchitis, and abdominal pain are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions.,Specifically, the Board found that the April 2020 VA medical opinions did not substantially comply with the June 2018 remand instructions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right and left leg disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues of service connection for back disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and both feet disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional development regarding the nature of the Veteran's service.