Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's combination of service-connected disabilities, including her acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral knee and ankle conditions, has rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board grants the TDIU claim for the entire appeal period.

The Veteran's OSA and lumbar spine disability are granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The right knee instability is granted a 10% rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral foot disability, and right shoulder disability due to lack of new and relevant evidence. The appeal is denied.

Service connection for recurrent right knee injury residuals is granted. The Veteran's left hand and thumb neuropathy, GERD, migraine headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea are all remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted effective dates of February 20, 2018 for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective from December 22, 2018, the day after he stopped working due to his disabilities. The appeal is dismissed as there are no remaining allegations of error in this matter.

The Board has remanded the claims for right and left knee disabilities due to a lack of an adequate VA medical opinion, as the AOJ failed to ensure that such an opinion was obtained prior to the April 2024 rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty error. The AOJ must notify the Veteran of his right to a pre-decisional hearing and then readjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted, with effective dates of August 12, 2019. He is now entitled to a disability rating of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded two issues: entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for a left knee disability, status post left knee arthroplasty; and entitlement to service connection for a left hip disability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left knee condition and an increased rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support the Veteran's claims, particularly regarding his claimed onset of symptoms during active service.

The appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed as the Veteran's claim has been fully granted. The appeals for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, left shoulder strain, and a left knee condition are remanded.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection due to his withdrawal of the claim for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining claims for tinnitus, multiple joint disorders (shoulders, elbow, back, knees, ankles, feet, toes), and radiculopathy were denied as not supported by evidence of a current disability or a causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and right knee condition are both denied as there is no current diagnosis of either condition, and the evidence does not support a finding that they are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, bilateral foot disabilities (including pes planus and plantar fasciitis), right knee disability, and left knee disability due to the need for additional evidence or examination. The issues are being returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Veteran's left knee joint osteoarthritis is rated at a minimum of 10 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on limitation of motion or other diagnostic codes. The current rating accurately reflects the disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to new evidence presented by the Veteran.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of flexion and a separate 10 percent rating for symptomatic removal of cartilage. The appeal for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for limitation of flexion was denied, while the appeal for a separate 10 percent rating for symptomatic removal of cartilage was granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee, neck, and low back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions based on the absence of treatment records.

The Veteran's left knee and low back disabilities have been granted, but his increased rating claims for these conditions are being remanded. Additionally, the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is also being remanded.