Knee decisions — 2023

The Veteran's unspecified trauma disorder is granted a 70 percent rating, effective from the date of the decision. The Veteran's left knee instability is granted a separate 10 percent rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination regarding knee instability and prostheses.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee gout, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral ankle, knee, and low back disorders. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he died during their pendency.

The Veteran's TDIU due solely to a service-connected TBI is granted as of March 25, 2013. SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1134 is granted from March 27, 2015, to May 8, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for her left and right knee strains, as well as separate evaluations for patellar laxity since August 13, 2021, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of her knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for left knee arthritis, as secondary to service-connected DDD with spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and right knee osteoarthritis with total knee replacement. Additional addendum opinions are needed to address the Veteran's theory that changes in biomechanics due to other service-connected conditions have aggravated his left knee arthritis.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities, as well as TDIU. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to assess her current disability levels.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat feet, bilateral heel spurs, low back disability, left knee disability, and neck disability. The claims are being remanded to allow for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran is granted increased ratings for instability and cartilage condition of the right knee, but denied further increases in rating due to the maximum disability rating being reached.

The Board has remanded the claims due to new evidence obtained by VA, and the Veteran is entitled to a full review of his claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for left knee arthritis, finding that there was no evidence of chronic left knee symptoms since service or within a year of separation. The Board also found that the current condition is not related to any in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for lumbar spine disability and entitlement to TDIU prior to February 3, 2020 due to inadequate medical opinions in the March 2018 and February 2020 examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for right knee instability and left knee strain due to inadequate medical opinions regarding functional loss and severity of symptoms during the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left ankle, right ankle, left knee, right knee, right hip, left hip, thoracolumbar spine disorder (previously claimed as a spinal injury), and cervical spine disorder (previously claimed as a spinal injury).

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his right knee condition is being remanded due to the addition of new VA treatment evidence and because more than one hearing was held by separate Veterans Law Judges.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a left knee disability, and a left ankle disability. The claim for a sleep disorder (OSA) is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including gastritis, diverticulosis, TMJ, headaches, hypertension, kidney cyst, and gout of the left knee. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for left and right knee disabilities have been denied multiple times, with the most recent denial being in December 2014. The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD has been remanded.,The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus type II (DM) has also been remanded.