Knee decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for an extension of the temporary total rating beyond June 30, 2019, for left knee osteoarthritis following a total knee replacement is denied as there is no legal or factual basis to provide such an extension.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been presented to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for lower back, right knee, and left knee conditions. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder condition and a left knee condition, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service injuries. Service connection was denied for dental trauma due to lack of evidence showing loss of substance of the body of the maxilla or mandible.

The Board has vacated the February 2022 decision dismissing claims for increased ratings of right knee and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, and remanded these issues for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left great toe bone fusion, shoulder disabilities, knee disability, and ankle disabilities. The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is not a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and elbow conditions due to errors in providing a VA examination and failure to obtain all relevant service records.

The Veteran's right knee condition is currently rated at 20 percent for instability, effective December 17, 2007. The rating in excess of 10 percent for the right knee condition prior to April 27, 2009, and since June 1, 2009, remains denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral ankle, elbow, shoulder, wrist, hand, hip, and knee disabilities due to toxic exposures during his service in the Gulf War.

The Veteran's service connection claims for COPD, OSA, HTN, and other conditions are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the April 2023 VA examination. A new examination is needed to assess the current severity and functional impairment of the condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, but the bilateral knee condition issue is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has denied increased disability evaluations for the Veteran's right and left total knee replacements, but has remanded the issue of a compensable disability evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss prior to February 20, 2018.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and left leg below the knee amputation, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease leading to these conditions. The claim for secondary service connection based on service-connected right hip, right knee, and/or right ankle disorders was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a headache disability, but denied service connection for all other conditions due to lack of evidence linking them to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of right knee strain, right hip disorder, and left wrist disorder. The claims are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to inadequate medical opinions from previous examinations. The Veteran is required to provide retrospective opinions on his lumbar spine and left knee disabilities, including their functional loss over time.

The Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative osteoarthritis of the right knee is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's service-connected limitation of flexion from patellofemoral syndrome, right knee, does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's skin disorder, rosacea, is currently rated as noncompensable prior to October 23, 2017 and 30 percent from that date. The knees are currently rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period.,The Veteran's chondromalacia patella with arthritis of both knees does not meet or approximate criteria for a disability rating greater than 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation for left knee surgical scars, an evaluation greater than 10 percent for right knee limitation of extension prior to July 21, 2022, or a compensable evaluation for right knee limitation of flexion. However, he is granted a rating of 10 percent evaluation for right knee instability and a rating of 10 percent evaluation for left knee instability.