Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his right knee, left hip, and acquired psychiatric disorder conditions. The Veteran is required to undergo additional examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his service-connected disabilities or other events.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to verify all periods of active service.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for right knee instability and a 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis, right knee, with limited extension effective September 9, 2008. The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for further examination. Increased ratings for his right knee disability are also remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of a bilateral knee disability, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's left knee limitation of extension is currently rated as noncompensable, with no evidence showing it limited to 10 degrees or less.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a service connection for a cervical spine disorder. The Board finds that the Veteran did not have a cervical spine disability during his active service and there is no competent evidence of record showing its onset within one year post-service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions as secondary to his service-connected bilateral feet disabilities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, a lumbosacral spine disability, a right ankle disability, and bilateral knee disabilities due to the lack of evidence supporting an in-service stressor or injury related to these conditions.,Service connection was also denied for radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability, but the claims of entitlement to service connection for left knee DJD and TKR as secondary to the right knee disability, and for left knee scars are remanded due to incomplete evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left knee bursitis with degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and testing.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection for joint pain, specifically low back, bilateral hips, right knee, and right wrist due to insufficient evidence regarding a direct relationship to in-service duties. Additional development is needed to address whether the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his exposure on concrete and steel decks during service.

The Veteran's appeal for avitaminosis, also claimed as weight loss, has been dismissed. The claims for service connection for various disabilities have been remanded due to the need for additional development of his service records and outpatient treatment records.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been granted a rating of 10 percent, but no higher, for painful limitation of motion and instability.,Over the entire appeal period, the Veteran has not met the criteria for entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Board has determined that there are outstanding private treatment records and the Veteran's request for a hearing. Additionally, the claims of service connection for bilateral tinnitus, bilateral hip pain, and bilateral knee conditions require additional medical opinions due to conflicting or insufficient evidence in the record. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD also requires further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of right knee disability and service connection for lumbar spine disability due to incomplete development and inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition is granted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for thoracolumbar strain are remanded.

The Veteran's reduction in disability rating from 10% to 0% for a scar of the left knee was not proper, and therefore his disability rating is restored to 10%. His claim for an increased rating for painful scarring of the left knee was denied. The extension of temporary total evaluations due to treatment or convalescence for a service-connected left knee disability were granted.

The Veteran's right knee instability is rated at 20 percent effective April 9, 2014, and continues to February 7, 2021. The rating for limitation of flexion remains at 10 percent from April 9, 2014, to April 12, 2017, and is then denied. The rating for limitation of extension remains at noncompensable.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at a 30 percent rating, effective February 7, 2021. The left knee disability is not entitled to an increased rating.

The appeal regarding entitlement to a higher rating for TBI is dismissed. A rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. The remaining issues are remanded.