Knee Board decisions

The appeal for service connection of left knee arthritis is dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as he is already receiving the maximum schedular rating.,The Veteran's claims for evaluation of osteoarthritis, both knees; service connection for right shoulder condition; and service connection for low back strain are remanded due to missed VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder may be related to service, but additional evidence is needed to determine if it is secondary to any other service-connected conditions or if it became disabling within one year of discharge.

The Board has granted service connection for PVD affecting both lower extremities and left and right below the knee amputations. The Veteran's hypertension is also rated at the initial 10 percent level.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether his current condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee condition is being readjudicated due to new and relevant evidence, which includes recent treatment records from North Little Rock VAMC and a VA examination report. The decision will determine if the new evidence supports the claim.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine condition and right knee strain due to errors in duty-to-assist. The AOJ is required to obtain complete military personnel records, including ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA dates, and any missing service treatment records. Additionally, VA examinations are needed to determine if the Veteran's current conditions began during his service or were caused by a service-connected disability.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of entitlement to increased ratings for right knee instability and arthritis, as well as entitlement to a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The AOJ will need to obtain a retrospective medical opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's right knee disability during the period from June 1, 2019, to June 8, 2020.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the right shoulder disability and a higher initial rating was denied.,An earlier effective date for the bilateral knee disability is also denied.

An effective date of January 30, 2020, is granted for the award of service connection for left knee scar from partial replacement. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee patellofemoral arthritis status post unicondylar (partial) knee replacement remains denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability as defined by regulation, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for anemia, right knee disability, low back disability, flat feet, and migraine headaches due to insufficient evidence. The claim for service connection for any acquired psychiatric disorder is recharacterized as including schizoaffective disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right knee limitation of extension and patellofemoral syndrome have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his claims.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal because it did not have jurisdiction to consider the merits of the case, as the August 2023 rating decision was not an initial decision and thus not appealable under the AMA.

The Veteran's right knee disability, both ankle disabilities (deltoid ligament sprain), and PTSD have been granted service connection. The Veteran is now rated at 50 percent for his PTSD, with increased evaluations for the ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, which warranted a discharge for disability at the time of separation from service, qualifies him for VA home loan guaranty benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder, hypertension secondary to bipolar disorder, and left knee disability have been granted. The rating for low back strain with degenerative arthritis has been increased from 10% to 20%. Other issues are either denied or remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a cervical spine disability, all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back and/or right ankle disabilities. The rating of 50 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis is also granted from October 7, 2019.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back condition, right knee condition, and left knee condition on a secondary basis to his service-connected bilateral feet and hip conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for VA examinations. The Veteran's conditions are related to his Gulf War service, but specific diagnoses and etiologies require further investigation.