Knee decisions — 2023

The Veteran's right knee postoperative scars, associated with his service-connected ACL reconstruction and partial medial meniscectomy, are rated at a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee conditions and left hip disability did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to June 22, 2010. The Board denied his claim for Individual Unemployability (TDIU) prior to September 1, 2011.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is currently rated at 20 percent from February 16, 2004 to August 14, 2009 and will be increased to 20 percent from August 14, 2009 onward. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right elbow disability, Bell's palsy, and TDIU.

The Board has found the opinions provided by the VA examiner inadequate and requires further development to determine if the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities were caused or aggravated during active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, type 2, a back and/or cervical spine disorder, hypertension, and a right knee disorder due to various procedural issues.

The Veteran was granted service connection for a left knee disability, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left shoulder disability.,A VA examination is needed to determine the likely etiology of the claimed left shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee condition, which is considered a direct service connection issue.

The Veteran's appeal for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) has been dismissed. The Board also remanded the cases regarding his right knee, left knee, lumbar strain, and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities are being remanded for a new VA examination and to obtain all relevant treatment records, including those from the private sector where he underwent several surgeries.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee disorders, finding the evidence to be in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder, bilateral elbow, left hip, right knee, left groin, and neck disabilities due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran should be afforded Gulf War examinations and VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's shin splints and right knee degenerative joint disease with knee joint osteoarthritis are not service-connected, and her request for a compensable rating for scars associated with the knee disability is denied. Her claim for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Board has remanded the claim of a rating higher than 70 percent for the period starting from May 1, 2018. The Veteran's left hip disability is also under consideration.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee, cervical spine, and bilateral shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for an effective date prior to April 27, 2018, for the grant of service connection for a right shoulder disability is denied.

The Board has dismissed the service connection for left elbow lateral epicondylitis (left elbow condition) as it was granted in an October 2023 rating decision. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a right knee condition are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's tuberculosis claim is dismissed. Service connection for low back disability, bilateral sciatic and femoral radiculopathies, and right knee disability are granted.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a right knee disability due to potential issues with the reliability of the medical opinions provided and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's right and left knee instability ratings have been restored to 10 percent effective November 1, 2019.,The reduction in the rating for bilateral hearing loss from 10 percent to noncompensable was proper. The appeal for restoration of a 10 percent rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, back disability, degenerative arthritis of the left and right ankles, as well as right and left knee disabilities have all been denied. The evidence does not support a compensable evaluation for any of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and bilateral knee and ankle conditions, finding that the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder caused or aggravated these conditions through obesity as an intermediate step. The rating assigned is 10 percent.