Knee decisions — 2024

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 40 percent prior to September 29, 2015, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The rating for the right knee remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to address inadequacies in the February 2022 VA examination, and for further development regarding the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's right ankle condition is granted as service-connected. The remaining issues of bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis, bilateral knee conditions, obstructive sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities have been remanded due to the receipt of new and material evidence. The claim for an increased rating for concussion residuals has also been remanded.

The Veteran's right foot, left foot, right ankle, left ankle, and right knee disabilities are all found to be related to service.,Service connection is granted for a major depressive disorder with secondary alcohol abuse.

The Board has decided to remand several claims related to the Veteran's right knee disability, including rating appeals and issues regarding effective dates and TDIU. Further development is needed to obtain VA treatment records from January 2016 to January 2017.

The appeals for increased ratings for right and left knee conditions, bilateral pes planus, and lumbar spine DJD have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her appeal of these issues.

The Board has decided to remand all the claims for further review due to new evidence obtained after the February 2020 statement of the case.

The appellant's appeal for a compensable disability rating for scarring of the right wrist is dismissed.,The appellant's disability ratings for his right knee and right wrist disabilities are restored to 10 percent effective November 2, 2018.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including GERD, lumbar spine disability, right hip scar, and foot disabilities. The Veteran will need further examinations to determine the severity of his conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder, left ankle disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and radiculopathy of the bilateral legs are all granted as service-connected.,There is no specific rating assigned or effective date provided in this decision.

The Board has remanded several claims for additional action due to the possibility that relevant SSA records have not been obtained.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure compliance with prior remands and to provide a retrospective opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee disability. The issues of increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities are being remanded.

The Board has withdrawn the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for left great toe hallux valgus. The claim of service connection for a left knee disability is reopened and remanded due to new evidence suggesting it may be related to the Veteran's right hip disability. Other issues are also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for heat stroke and thyroid disorder, as well as left knee and right knee disorders. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during or were related to active service.,The Veteran's complaints of knee pain in service were noted but no specific diagnoses were made. Post-service records also showed chronic knee pain without any indication of heat stroke or thyroid disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back disability and right knee disability due to incomplete development of service treatment records, particularly regarding a parachuting accident in 1980. The VA is required to obtain these records and schedule the appellant for a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for iliotibial band syndrome of the right and left knees was denied, while his claim for service connection for sciatica of the right lower extremity as secondary to service-connected chronic lumbar strain was granted.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for right knee scars has been withdrawn due to the Veteran no longer wanting to proceed. The Board has also dismissed the appeal for an increased rating for a right knee disability, as it is remanded for additional development.

An increased 50 percent rating for a thoracic/lumbar spine disability is granted.,Prior to June 21, 2019, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude substantially gainful employment. Since June 21, 2019, his acquired psychiatric disability has made it impossible for him to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.,Since June 21, 2019, the Veteran is granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lower back, left ankle, right ankle, left knee, right knee, left wrist, and right wrist disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing service connection.