Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to an outdated VA examination and a need for a retrospective medical evaluation. The AOJ is instructed to obtain such information.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations of various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying his periods of service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, specifically to obtain physical therapy records from Hilltop Physical Therapy-Wakeman.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of pharyngitis and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The remaining issues are remanded due to lack of recent VA examination or opinion.

The Board has determined that more development is necessary before final adjudication of the claims on appeal, including scheduling VA examinations for the Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder and her claimed low back, bilateral hip, right knee, and seizure disorders.

The Veteran's claims for left femur malunion and right femur malunion have been denied as there is no evidence of such conditions related to his service.,Service connection has been granted for obstructive sleep apnea secondary to service-connected PTSD, but the Veteran does not have separate ratings for right knee limitation of extension or instability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral knee disability has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,The claims of reopening for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have both been granted, but the rating assigned is not specified in this decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for right and left wrist disabilities, as well as right and left knee disabilities due to incomplete opinions from the VA-QTC examiner.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding his knee symptoms and service history.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of right and left knee injuries due to incomplete service treatment records. The Veteran's lay statements regarding a plane crash during active duty are considered, but VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of his knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's knee conditions, specifically his left knee medial meniscal tear and right knee stability.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the claims related to radiculopathy of the upper extremities, ankle sprains, and cervical pain with degenerative arthritis. The Board dismissed these appeals as a result.

The Veteran's appeal to restore service connection for left knee instability is denied due to clear and unmistakable error in the August 2011 rating decision. The initial disability rating for adjustment disorder with mixed depressed and anxious mood remains at 70 percent.

The Board has determined that the claims must be remanded to obtain missing private treatment records and to provide a new VA examination for each of the service-connected conditions. The Veteran's STRs do not contain specific references to these conditions, but he reported experiencing symptoms since service.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his left tibia fracture and service connection for his left knee arthritis as secondary to his service-connected left tibia disability were denied.

Service connection for back stiffness with pain is granted. Service connection for left knee impairment, right knee impairment, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee DJD and TKA disabilities have been denied. The initial rating of 10 percent for DJD prior to April 5, 2011, and the subsequent rating of 40 percent from that date until February 1, 2015, are not supported by the evidence. For the period from March 1, 2016, through October 10, 2022, a 30 percent rating is denied, and on or after October 11, 2022, a 60 percent rating is also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records, specifically those from UC Davis Medical Group and Dr. Boyd, which are necessary to determine the history of the Veteran's right knee condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disability and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's current disabilities are not presumed, and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence of permanent aggravation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to obtain a retrospective functional impairment opinion addressing the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to February 17, 2009.