Knee decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for a right knee strain and service connection for an upper back disability have been denied due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, including degenerative arthritis and osteoarthritis, is not related to service. The evidence does not support a link between his current condition and any in-service injury or incident.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee flexion and instability have been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10% under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine, cervical spine, left knee, right knee, left hip, right hip, left ankle, and duodenitis.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative changes with painful flexion and limitation of extension are rated at 10 percent, effective from January 18, 2020 to August 25, 2021. A separate rating of 40 percent is granted for the same conditions from that date.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right elbow strain was denied. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left knee, right knee, and gastrointestinal conditions due to potential secondary service connection with PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for a right knee disability and remanded the issue of an initial rating for PTSD with depression. The Veteran is required to undergo further VA examination to assess his current symptoms and their impact on his employment.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of service connection for a left knee disorder is granted. The claims for service connection for a left hand disorder and a left knee disorder are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding service connection for a neck disability, a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for status post lateral meniscus tear of the right knee with degenerative arthritis, and a compensable disability rating for erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew them prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran's left knee condition, right knee strain, left ankle sprain, and left foot hammer toes are all being reviewed.

Your claim for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities has been granted, and the appeal is dismissed as there are no longer any issues to be decided.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, is granted.,The Veteran's bilateral hip trochanteric bursitis and gout are granted.,The Veteran's right hand disability, back disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral foot disability are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's left leg scar is remanded.

The Veteran's headache disability is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder. The cervical spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's death was due to an accidental drug overdose, and he was service connected for scars of the forearm and scalp, a left shoulder disability, and a left knee disability. The appellant filed for DIC benefits in September 2009, which were denied in March 2010. In May 2018, the rating decision granted DIC benefits based on newly obtained service treatment records showing the Veteran's separation examination from two months prior to his death indicated depression and suicidal ideation.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's asthma and left knee disability, including VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with obtaining and reviewing medical records, as well as concerns about the reliability of a previous VA examination. The Veteran's left knee condition will need further evaluation.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, with a current numeric designation of Level III.,Service connection for right knee pain and left knee pain is denied due to lack of in-service injury or disease and no persuasive evidence linking the disabilities to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and missing private treatment records. The Veteran's left knee condition is being reviewed for service connection, secondary effect of his right knee disability, aggravation by his right knee disability, and whether it began during active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraines, cervical disability, and left knee disability were denied. The rating for migraines was not granted as the attacks did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. For cervical disability, the claim was denied as the current rating already reflects the maximum schedular rating. For left knee disability, no specific rating was assigned.