Knee decisions — 2023

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates and service connection for Graves' disease, bilateral knee disabilities, and bilateral ankle disabilities. The claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is required to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disorders.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to clarify the Veteran's right knee disability diagnosis.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at a 30 percent rating for instability since February 7, 2021. The Board has remanded the cases of increased ratings for degenerative joint disease from May 15, 2009 to August 20, 2021 and from August 20, 2021 to January 24, 2022.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right knee disorder and its relationship to his service-connected left knee condition. The Veteran will be given another opportunity to provide medical records and a VA examination is required.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is granted service connection. Ratings for chondromalacia of the right and left knees are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition and left knee strain is remanded due to the need for VA examinations. The claims are not currently decided as they have been previously denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for increased ratings was denied as the evidence did not show that the Veteran met the criteria for a compensable evaluation prior to January 31, 2018, in excess of 10 percent prior to July 5, 2022, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter. The claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a current skin disorder or headaches at any time during the pendency of the claim.

The Veteran's left ankle arthritis is granted on an aggravation basis, and his left knee osteoarthritis is granted. The right knee meniscal tear is granted with a 30% disability rating, subject to flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to consider the Veteran's reports of continuous symptoms since service.

The Board has determined that new VA examinations are needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, as the previous opinions were based on a lack of evidence in the service treatment records and did not adequately consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms during service.

The Veteran's claims for restoration of a 20 percent rating for lateral instability of the left knee and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding his need for aid in ambulation.

The Veteran's patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee and right knee instability are now rated at 20 percent each, effective October 13, 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not rendered him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 29, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in the August 2020 VA examination.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for left ankle and left knee disabilities due to new evidence received. However, it is determined that the Veteran did not incur an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions, thus denying both claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left side rib disability was granted, but the claims for right knee and lumbar spine disabilities were denied.,The Board has remanded the issues regarding the right shoulder and low back pain disabilities due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are related to service, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions. The decision on left foot pain and right foot pain is pending as it was remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various hip, knee, leg, spine, ankle, and foot disabilities due to inadequate opinions regarding their relationship to periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent, and a separate rating of 20 percent for the medial meniscus tear is granted.,An initial compensable rating for hypertension is denied.