Knee decisions — 2023

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease and left knee degenerative joint disease have been granted service connection. However, the rating for his lumbosacral strain with arthritis remains at 40 percent.

The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for chronic paranoid schizophrenia is denied. The claims for service connection for PTSD, variously diagnosed psychiatric disorders (to include PTSD), right knee disability, and left knee disability are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and no final decision could be made on the merits of the claims.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to assess the current extent and severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left knee, left ankle, right ankle, left shin splint, and right shin splint. The claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to evidence suggesting a worsening in the severity of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and thus grants his claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as generalized anxiety disorder). The Veteran's current right knee disability is not shown to be related to service, while his acquired psychiatric disorder was not found to have been incurred in or aggravated by service.,A compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Veteran's left hip and right hip disabilities are granted as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.,Service connection for CFS, fibromyalgia, TMJ disorder, left knee disability, cervical spine disability, and right toe disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased ratings for right knee degenerative joint disease, bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for PTSD and sleep apnea. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee degenerative joint disease is denied. His claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss are remanded as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation prior to March 29, 2021, and a 30 percent evaluation thereafter under DC 6100. The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right CTS, a compensable rating for tension headaches, and ratings in excess of the current ones for her knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to incomplete VA examinations, specifically regarding instability of the Veteran's right and left ankle joints and right knee.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her kidney disability, right knee disability, and thyroid disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his right and left knee disabilities has been granted, with the restoration of a 30 percent disability rating for limited extension of the right knee effective November 24, 2021. Other claims for increased ratings have also been addressed.

The Board has found additional development is required due to deficiencies in previous medical opinions and remanded the claims for left foot, left ankle, right knee, and hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further clarification and evidence review regarding service connection claims for urinary disability and neurological conditions of the bilateral upper and lower extremities.

The previously denied claims of service connection for left and right ankle disabilities are reopened.,Presumptive service connection for coronary artery disease is granted, based on the PACT Act.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to failure to schedule a VA examination for the Veteran's left knee disability. The claim will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee disability were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right foot, as well as left and right knee disabilities are being remanded for additional examination to determine their current severity.