Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as bilateral foot disability, all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected ankle disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left leg/knee disability, finding that there is no competent evidence linking his current condition to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and insufficient examinations. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various orthopedic conditions, including lumbar spine degenerative disease, bilateral hips, knees, legs, and feet, as well as hypertension, jaw condition, and headaches.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as all issues have been withdrawn by the appellant.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that any current right knee disabilities were not related to his military service. The claim for secondary service connection was also denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability, specifically a meniscal tear with arthritis post-surgery, is rated at 10 percent. The Board has remanded the case for further development due to issues related to the initial rating period from May 2, 2015.

The Board has granted a TDIU from October 31, 2020 based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his inability to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his knee conditions and depressive disorder. The Board denied a TDIU prior to October 31, 2020 as there was not sufficient evidence of unemployability at that time.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for right knee osteoarthritis and left knee degenerative joint disease from the specified dates were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a disability rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right knee disability, specifically concerning functional loss during flare-ups and after repeated use over time. The VA is required to obtain additional retrospective opinions from a clinician.

The Board has remanded the cases for compliance with the terms of a joint motion, due to concerns about the competency of the VA examiners. The claim is not about service connection but rather about separate ratings for knee instability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for an updated VA examination to assess the impact of both his left and right knee disabilities on his employment, as well as a formal claim for service connection for the right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to incomplete records and insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran contends that his current knee conditions are related to his active service or a pre-existing condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inconsistencies in the VA examination report and the need for further assessment of the Veteran's knee conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a separate evaluation for his left knee disability are being remanded due to the inadequacy of the February 2022 VA examination report. A new examination is required to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left knee condition.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities have been rated as 20 percent disabling for instability from October 31, 2007 to March 10, 2015 and increased to 30 percent thereafter.,An earlier effective date of October 31, 2007 has been granted for the initial ratings of 20 percent for both knees.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were generally granted, with some issues being denied or remanded. The Veteran received a 20 percent rating for lumbosacral strain prior to July 28, 2022, and an increase in the rating of his left ankle disorder from noncompensable to 10 percent.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for right knee instability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximate slight instability without requiring any assistive devices or braces.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected skin disability, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and left knee fibular shaft disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and evaluation of his right knee disability, as well as service connection for a herniated naval. The initial rating for chronic obstructive sleep apnea and bronchitis with calcified hilar lymph node remains denied.