Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle disability and a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to injuries sustained during active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability is etiologically related to his active service, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for low back degenerative arthritis, left hip strain disability, right hip strain disability, and left knee disability as secondary to the Veteran's already service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left knee condition has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the promulgation of a decision.,An initial compensable rating for the Veteran's service-connected left fifth finger scar is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in the disability rating at this time.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his service-connected left fifth finger degenerative arthritis is remanded due to a lack of a VA examination addressing any associated neurological conditions.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been added to the record, warranting readjudication of the claim for service connection for a right knee condition. However, due to duty to assist error in the March 2020 VA examination, the case is remanded for another VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of September 13, 2019, for service connection of a painful left knee scar is granted. The Board found that the Veteran continuously pursued his claim since September 13, 2019, and there was evidence supporting finding that his left knee scar has been painful since that date.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service treatment records did not contain complaints, treatment, or diagnosis of a knee condition. Therefore, a link between the Veteran's medical condition and military service was not found because his knee condition pre-existed service. The claim is being remanded to obtain an adequate medical opinion for the Veteran's right and left knee conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his service-connected left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports and the need for clarification regarding flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the claims for clothing allowances due to a lack of evidence in the record, including the Veteran's prosthetics records and AOJ decisions. The claim must be returned to the AOJ with all relevant documents.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee condition, left knee condition, back condition, and generalized anxiety disorder. The conditions are related to the Veteran's active-duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for an amputation below the right knee as secondary to a service-connected right ankle disability, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the combined disability rating exceeded the maximum allowable under the amputation rule. The GERD claim was also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU based on a single service-connected disability, finding that neither his right knee nor left knee disabilities alone have precluded him from gainful employment during the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded several claims related to the Veteran's left knee disability and postoperative scars, including entitlement to higher ratings and an earlier effective date for TDIU. The appeal is also dismissed due to the grant of CUE in a prior rating decision.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the Veteran withdrew it prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's right knee instability is rated at 30 percent from July 1, 2003. The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in 2015 and 2018 were inadequate for rating purposes due to their focus on service connection rather than severity. The claim is being remanded for an adequate examination.

The Board has remanded the claim due to a duty to assist error and inadequate pre-decisional medical opinion. The Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral pain syndrome is alleged to have caused or aggravated his post-service ACL tear, leading to scars.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for schedular TDIU, and there is no evidence to suggest he is unable to obtain or maintain a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, and he receives a combined rating of 20 percent for his right knee strain and left knee osteoarthritis. The issues regarding bilateral hearing loss disability and TDIU are remanded.