Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress and psychotic features, obstructive sleep apnea, and left knee degenerative arthritis. The conditions are found to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has denied service connection for left knee osteoarthritis and a left leg pain, swelling, and weakness disability due to the lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's left knee strain status post meniscectomy is rated at 20 percent for the period prior to July 26, 2021 and 10 percent thereafter. The right knee disability remains rated at 20 percent for limitation of extension.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee arthritis and assigned a 10 percent rating. The Veteran's initial disability ratings for left knee limitation of extension (10%) and lateral instability (10%) have been maintained.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee disabilities have been denied. The criteria for higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes were not met.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for psychiatric disabilities, shoulder and knee injuries, hearing loss, hypertension, and sleep apnea. The remand also includes a request to verify the Veteran's periods of active duty with the Navy Reserve.

The Veteran's left knee disability was previously rated at 10% for limitation of flexion and granted a 30% rating for limitation of extension. From July 7, 2023, the Veteran is not entitled to an increased rating for either condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and insomnia disorder, is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to lack of current evidence meeting VA compensation criteria.,Service connection for bronchitis/reactive airway disease is remanded for further review.,Service connection for a low back disability is remanded for further review.,Service connection for a left knee disability is remanded for further review.,Service connection for a right knee disability is remanded for further review.,Service connection for a left foot disability is remanded for further review.,Service connection for a right foot disability is remanded for further review.

Service connection is granted for right and left knee patellofemoral instability.,Service connection is also granted for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease (DJD).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for his knee, hip, and ankle disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in prior examinations. The VA is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions that reconcile with a June 2018 private opinion letter.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone have not rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to outstanding medical records and need for additional VA examinations. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee disorder, back disorder, and bilateral foot disorder are all under review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis is secondary to his service-connected right knee disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since July 19, 2018. The case is being remanded for further examination of his right and left knee conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and left ankle disorders due to new and material evidence. However, further development is needed as additional medical opinions are required to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee arthritis and heart condition (claimed as irregular heartbeat) due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service connection claim is denied.

Service connection for squamous cell cancer on face, head, and hands has been granted as secondary to service-connected ulcerative colitis.,Service connection for residuals of broken left leg/knee injury (leg disorder) has not been established.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative changes and rheumatoid arthritis, left hip, have been granted a rating of 60 percent each.

The Veteran's PTSD, lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine disability, and left knee disability are all granted. The effective dates for these grants are the date of claim (April 9, 2014 for PTSD, May 20, 2015 for other disabilities).