Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of SSA disability benefits records, and requests for these records have not been completed.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for hysterectomy prior to June 3, 2019 is denied. Beginning June 3, 2019, the Veteran is granted a rating of 50 percent for her service-connected hysterectomy. The claim for TDIU is also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability is granted. The claims for service connection for the right and left knee disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board denied an effective date prior to October 5, 2004, for the award of a TDIU (Total Disability Rating Independent of Service Connection) due to lack of formal or informal claim for increased rating and/or TDIU prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical examination and incomplete opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for left thumb arthritis and remanded the remaining claims due to inadequacies in the newly provided VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, right knee, bilateral elbow, and right shoulder disorders. The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is not considered to be related to her active military service or her service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Board has denied service connection for low back, right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disorder has been reopened due to new and material evidence. The claims for increased ratings of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee disability are denied. Other issues related to service connection have been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that his current diagnoses are related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination and review of medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical examination and review of the Veteran's work history. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to November 7, 2016 is now pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was rendered unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities for the appellate period prior to March 7, 2022. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and degenerative joint diseases of various joints, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities due to insufficient reasoning in a previous decision regarding the Veteran's lay statements about leg cramps on separation from service.

The Board has granted service connection for rhinitis on a presumptive basis due to exposure to burn pits during the Gulf War. Service connection is also granted for right and left knee disorders, as well as sleep apnea, based on in-service events. The Veteran's eczema and GERD are rated as they currently stand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining all available service treatment records and conducting VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation, including obtaining updated VA treatment records, scheduling a new examination to assess the severity of the lumbar spine disability, and determining whether a TDIU is warranted due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right and left knee osteoarthritis as they are not in compliance with previous orders. The Veteran needs to be scheduled for a VA examination to address deficiencies noted in prior decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service and manifested within one year of separation.,Service connection was denied for a lumbar spine disorder due to lack of evidence showing its onset during service or within one year post-service. The Veteran's current sleep apnea claim was also denied as there was no diagnosis found in the medical records.