Knee Board decisions

The Board has denied an initial compensable rating for right knee surgical scars and remanded the cases of right knee limitation of extension and recurrent subluxation due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded several claims due to the submission of new evidence, including VA treatment records and VA examinations. The Veteran's service connection requests for various disabilities are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's right ankle sprain, bilateral knee instability and meniscal condition, and low back disability are all granted. The right ankle sprain is granted with service connection established. Increased ratings for the knees and a lower rating for the low back prior to August 17, 2022 are also granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to address issues related to the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and traumatic brain injury disabilities.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection due to her lumbar spine, fibromyalgia, bilateral lower extremities radiculopathy, hip and knee disabilities, and cervical spine conditions. The claims are being remanded for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right shoulder, left knee, back, and neck as there is no evidence showing separate diagnoses or that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic right or left knee disability during his active duty service and concluding that it would take pure speculation to etiologically relate the current bilateral knee disability to wear and tear during service.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for her left knee disorder is denied. A separate 10 percent rating prior to December 27, 2019, and a 30 percent rating therefrom for right knee instability are granted. The appeal seeking a compensable rating for right knee instability is dismissed.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis is rated at 10 percent, and a separate 10 percent rating for instability has been granted.,The Veteran's left knee arthritis is not service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD, service connection for sleep apnea, and service connection for a right knee disorder are remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, including arthritis. The examiner is required to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's right knee disability was incurred in or related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's application to reopen claims for service connection of left knee, right foot, and left foot disabilities is granted. The claim for service connection of left eye macular degeneration is also reopened. A rating of 100 percent for PTSD with MDD from August 1, 2001, is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his service-connected right and left knee, shin splints, and ankle strain residuals. The issues include rating adjustments and TDIU prior to July 6, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disability and scars, as well as a TDIU claim due to inextricably intertwined issues. The Veteran will be afforded new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and unspecified anxiety disorder are granted service connection, while the Veteran's hernia, IBS, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's right knee flexion was granted an increased rating to 20 percent effective March 16, 2009. The initial 10 percent rating for right knee extension from March 16, 2009 to December 5, 2023 is also granted. An increased rating higher than 20 percent for right knee extension after December 6, 2023 is denied. A separate initial 10 percent rating for right knee instability is granted.

The Veteran's appeal includes requests for increased ratings for various knee disabilities and service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and tinnitus. Additional evidence has been received since the April 2020 statement of the case. The Board is remanding these matters to issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases for addressing deficiencies in a June 2010 VA examination, including whether a new, retroactive VA medical opinion should be obtained. The Veteran's contact information is unclear, and the RO needs to confirm his current contact information and attempt to obtain the requested VA examination and retrospective medical opinion.