Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to address the severity of his neurological disabilities and right knee disability, as well as to clarify whether he has instability in his right knee.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Board finds the February 2019 and July 2019 VA examinations insufficient and requires additional evaluations.

The Veteran's claim for individual unemployability was granted from October 1, 2011. The effective date is set at this time as the evidence shows he was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 30 percent ratings for left and right knee strain with osteoarthritis, effective June 1, 2024. The reduction from 30 to 20 percent was found improper due to lack of sustained improvement in disability.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of the March 2021 decision. The ratings for PTSD and right knee disability are denied.

The Veteran's application for a clothing allowance for calendar year 2020 due to wearing braces for service-connected bilateral knee disorders is being remanded because the type of braces used and their impact on clothing need clarification.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's right lower extremity below the knee amputation was caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The case is being returned for further development and an etiology opinion.

The Veteran's left knee meniscal tear and arthritis are rated at a 20% disability effective January 26, 2024. The rating is based on daily pain, locking, and effusion in the left knee joint.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss was not granted a compensable rating.,For the period from March 23, 2017, to April 27, 2018, the Veteran received a maximum schedular rating for IBS under Diagnostic Code 7319. For the period since April 27, 2018, the Veteran's IBS has been manifested by moderate symptomatology with frequent episodes of bowel disturbance.,The Veteran's sinusitis did not meet criteria for an increased rating as it was not characterized by incapacitating episodes or a history of sinus surgery.,The calluses on the bilateral feet were not painful and collectively measured less than 144 sq. in., thus not meeting criteria for an increased rating.,Right and left knee disabilities have been manifested by findings of limitation of flexion resulting in additional functional loss, but did not meet criteria for a higher rating as they are already at the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 5260.,The Veteran's right knee instability was granted an initial 30 percent rating and left knee instability was granted an initial 10 percent rating based on moderate recurrent lateral instability.,Radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities has been rated at 20 percent, consistent with moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.,The Veteran's TMJ disability is related to a service-connected disability and thus granted service connection.,Crohn's Disease was not found to be incurred or aggravated during service.,Respiratory disability and sleep apnea were not found to be incurred or aggravated during service.,Right and left ankle disabilities were not shown in service and are not otherwise related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to right and left knee disabilities, as well as back and neck disabilities, require further examination and analysis due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining adequate medical opinions. The claims are being remanded to allow for these issues to be addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee sprain but remanded the claim for left knee sprain due to inadequate examination and lack of contemporaneous medical records.

The Veteran's request for an extension of the delimiting date for his Post-9/11 GI Bill educational assistance benefits beyond December 1, 2018 is granted due to medical infeasibility caused by various disabilities.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reconsider the claims for service connection of right and left knee disabilities. The claims are now remanded for further development, including verification of periods of Reserve service and obtaining medical records from such periods.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals from a bicycle accident, including scars of the chin, right hand and left knee, is granted as these conditions are found to be related to active duty.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, a left hip disability, a back disability, a heart disability, a left knee disability, and a right knee disability. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities or a link to military service.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability, a bilateral hip disability, and a lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is presumed to have existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service.,Service connection for the Veteran’s bilateral hip disability and lumbar spine disability were also denied as they did not manifest within one year of discharge from service or are not otherwise related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left knee disability as there is no current disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's left knee disability was manifested by slight lateral instability for the appellate period prior to March 28, 2018. The Board granted a separate rating of 10 percent under DC 5257.,The issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee strain and entitlement to a separate compensable rating for a left knee meniscal condition were raised by the pre-decisional evidence of record.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection for discogenic right sciatic radicular pain (partial paralysis right sciatic) as it was granted in a prior rating decision. Service connection was established for other conditions, including chronic sinusitis, PTSD, and various musculoskeletal issues, all presumed related to Southwest Asia service.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been added to the record, warranting readjudication of the claims for service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, and a low back condition. The claims are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and medical opinions.