Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability, including any flare-ups and functional loss.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including degenerative joint disease and instability, is rated at 20 percent under DC 5258 effective March 26, 2015. The other issues related to his TBI are also granted.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was granted service connection. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for a bilateral knee condition, to include as secondary to pes planus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee strain began during his service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the complexity of his medical history and the need for further examination to differentiate between symptoms attributable to his left ankle disability and other service-connected or non-service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for right knee strain and left foot strain have been granted, but the Board finds that an earlier effective date is not warranted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left leg nervous disability was denied as there is no evidence of record to support this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,The Veteran's right knee, low back strain, and bilateral hearing loss conditions are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and increased evaluations for chondromalacia of the left and right knees are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his service-connected skin condition and right knee disability.

The Veteran's gout of the bilateral feet, ankles, knees, toes, elbows, hands and wrists is rated at 100 percent throughout the appeal period.,The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, right knee disability, and sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantial gainful employment prior to December 16, 2021. As of December 16, 2021, the Veteran is in receipt of a combined 100 percent disability rating for his service-connected disabilities, rendering the TDIU claim moot.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the severity of his service-connected back disability, knee disabilities, and any meniscal conditions. The Veteran will also be provided separate ratings for right and left knee instability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back and left knee conditions, do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of thoracolumbar spine, cervical spine, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of information about an in-service fall on an airplane ramp. The AOJ must make appropriate efforts to obtain any available incident report.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and right knee disability, finding no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and military service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for updated examinations, clarification of instability in his right knee, and obtaining VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for right hip and left knee disabilities due to additional development being required.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and lack of a nexus opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee disability. The examiner must consider the Veteran's reports of heavy lifting during service and provide an opinion on whether his current knee disability is at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence received since the last decision in December 2018.