Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to incomplete or inadequate VA examination.

The Board has granted readjudication of the claim for service connection based on new and relevant evidence. The issue of entitlement to service connection is remanded due to insufficient VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service-connected right and left knee disabilities were granted effective August 22, 2011. The Board denied an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a pre-decisional error in the evaluation of his service-connected knee disabilities, which may warrant extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's tinnitus, right ankle disorder, right knee disorder, and back disorder are not service-connected.,The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and a TDIU is granted for the period prior to October 4, 2021.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for right knee chondromalacia - limitation of extension, granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee limitation of flexion effective July 24, 2023, and denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee instability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and needs further clarification on whether the Veteran's symptoms are related to the removal of semilunar cartilage.

The Board has ordered remand for additional opinions regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disorder and low back disorder. The issues are being returned to the AOJ for further examination and opinion.

The appeals seeking increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative joint disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine have been dismissed. The issues of service connection for a left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, right hand/wrist disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and foot disability (including pes planus and plantar fasciitis) are remanded.

The Board has found insufficient medical evidence to determine if the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is related to his service. The case is being remanded for an addendum opinion.

The claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, headache disorder, sleep apnea, and left knee disability is remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and left shoulder disorders due to insufficient evidence of a current disability, in-service injury or disease, and nexus between the claimed conditions and service. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any current right knee and left shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis, right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, bilateral pes planus, and lumbar spine DDD are granted.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's gastroesophageal disorder, right knee disorder, and several musculoskeletal disorders are granted service connection. Service connection for tinnitus is also granted. The Veteran's claims for left shoulder, right shoulder, left elbow, right elbow, left wrist, right wrist, left hip, right hip, left ankle, right ankle, and bilateral lower extremity venous insufficiency have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence received since the last denial.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to insufficient efforts by VA to obtain the Veteran's service records. The AOJ is required to make reasonable attempts to locate and reconstruct the Veteran's STRs from all possible sources, including the Department of the Navy, RMC, and NARA.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA's regulatory definition.,Service connection for a left hand condition, including the left pinky finger, is denied due to lack of evidence supporting a current diagnosis and no link to service.,Service connection for lumbago with mild osteoarthritis of the thoracolumbar spine (back condition) is granted as it is related to his service-connected left knee DJD.,Service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee is granted as it is also related to his service-connected left knee DJD.