Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to incomplete medical opinions and missing service records.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for right knee instability, the maximum possible under VA regulations. The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis was not increased beyond the existing 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and MDD, was denied as the most persuasive evidence demonstrated that his current diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder did not have its onset during active duty service or was otherwise etiologically related to service. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disability, and right knee disability are remanded due to a lack of VA examination records.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's low back disability, right knee disabilities (post-prosthetic replacement and prior), left shoulder disability, and right ankle disability. The TDIU claim is also on appeal for a period prior to March 18, 2015.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining an etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's tinnitus. The remaining issues are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left great toe disorder has been granted.,The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for psychiatric disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and PTSD. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of left knee sprain, left leg disorder, and right leg disorder as these conditions are not found to be related to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 30 percent, and the Board denied entitlement to a higher rating. The Veteran also filed for total disability prior to September 1, 2019, but the Board found that he did not meet the criteria.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: the rating for left knee disability and service connection for right knee meniscal tear with degenerative arthritis. The Veteran needs a new examination to assess his current conditions and their etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities did not render him unemployable from December 2, 2013 to March 3, 2022.

The Board denied service connection for back condition, left knee condition, and right knee condition.,There is no current evidence of a diagnosed disability in any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not meet the VA standards for a diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's claims for sleep condition other than obstructive sleep apnea, chronic headaches, lower back condition, bilateral knee condition, skin condition, and stomach condition are remanded due to insufficient evidence or inadequate opinions in previous examinations.,Further examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions, including whether they are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of entitlement to higher ratings for right knee patellar dislocation and instability. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the addition of new evidence not previously considered by the AOJ.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disabilities due to an increase in symptoms.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that any current conditions are not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, low back disorder, and right knee disorder due to incomplete service treatment records and inadequate medical opinions. The case will be returned to VA for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee arthritis is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability, and therefore denied the claim for secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar spine and right knee disabilities due to insufficient VA examination reports, lack of review of the entire record, and need for additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, and headaches as secondary to his service-connected back disability.,There is no evidence of a current disability related to active duty service or an in-service injury.