Knee decisions — 2023

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted a 40 percent rating, effective July 25, 2014.,Service connection for left knee disability and urinary incontinence are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence and need for further development, including obtaining a retrospective opinion on the features and severity of his right knee disability from September 28, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of her right and left knee disabilities, as well as PTSD, are being remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and examinations. The TDIU claim is also being held in abeyance until these issues are resolved.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a lumbar spine disorder and right knee disorder have been reopened, and his PTSD claim has resulted in an increased rating to 70 percent effective February 24, 2020. The criteria for these conditions were met based on the evidence of record.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for right ankle, knee, and shoulder disabilities due to new evidence being added to the file. The Veteran will need to have his case reviewed by the RO before a decision is made.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation due to the possibility of increased severity since her last examination in 2018. The VA will obtain any outstanding treatment records and schedule a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for patellofemoral pain syndrome of both knees, lumbar disc herniation, radiculopathy of the upper extremities, and insomnia. The claims are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder, low back, and left knee conditions due to lack of evidence linking these disabilities to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence in the record, including missing service treatment records. The Veteran's conditions are being reviewed again with additional medical opinions based on all available information.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and right knee disabilities due to incomplete development, including scheduling of a VA examination. The Veteran was not provided with proper notice regarding the scheduled examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional retrospective opinions regarding functional loss and flare-ups of his scoliosis, right knee disability, and allergic rhinitis.

Your appeals for service connection for back pain, neck pain, right knee and leg, left knee pain, and headaches have been dismissed due to your withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for post-operative residuals of a right knee injury with degenerative changes has been dismissed due to the appellant withdrawing the appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, varicose veins, left knee disability, right knee disability, low back disability, sciatica, left, and sciatica, right due to procedural issues.

The Board has remanded several claims for service connection due to the Veteran's failure to provide sufficient medical records and because of inadequacies in previous examination opinions. The claims include psychiatric disorders, cervical spine disorders, hand disorders, ankle disorders, knee disorders, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is not service-connected as it did not manifest within one year of separation from active duty and there is no evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee chondromalacia patella/patellofemoral malalignment and entitlement to a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to scheduling issues with a VA examination.

The Board has determined that additional evidence was submitted and requires further review by the AOJ before a final decision can be made.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and low back disorder have been granted. The diagnoses are related to active service.