Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional evidence was added to the record since the last decision and requires further consideration. The claims for service connection are being remanded for this purpose.

The Board has granted service connection for lower back, left knee, and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's conditions are deemed to have begun during active military service.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease and patellofemoral pain syndrome resulted in limited extension to at most 15 degrees, with no ankylosis or other severe impairment. A 20 percent rating is granted for this period.

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by instability and limited flexion, is granted a 20% rating for instability and a 30% rating for limitation of flexion. The Veteran does not meet criteria for higher ratings based on extension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome, have resulted in a combined rating of 100 percent from January 24, 2017 to August 3, 2023. Effective August 3, 2023, the Veteran is granted a TDIU based on service-connected chronic fatigue syndrome alone.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal of the denial of a rating in excess of 10 percent for instability status post hemipatellectomy, left total knee replacement prior to October 14, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the failure to appear for VA examinations, and a new opportunity is provided for the Veteran to report for these exams.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The issues include PTSD, plantar fasciitis with arthritis, right knee arthritis, diastasis recti, right lower leg stress fracture, and left lower leg stress fracture.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, left knee disability, and left hip disability due to lack of current diagnoses or credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds the evidence does not establish current hearing loss in either ear that qualifies for purposes of service connection.,The appeals for service connection for right leg and left leg shin splints are remanded as there is no medical evidence or credible lay evidence establishing a current disability during the pendency of the claim period.,The appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right ankle strain status post fracture is remanded due to conflicting information regarding functional loss and ankylosis.,The appeal for service connection for right knee gout is remanded as there are contradictory findings regarding the Veteran's ability to flex his knee during a flare-up.,The appeal for service connection for temporomandibular joint disability is remanded due to incomplete examination report and unclear reasons provided by the examiner.,The appeals for service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities are remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding continuity of symptoms or treatment post-service.,The appeals for service connection for right hand and left hand disabilities are remanded due to lack of a VA medical examination addressing these conditions.,The appeal for service connection for left knee disability is remanded as the VA Regional Office has not obtained an appropriate medical examination or opinion regarding this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for TBI, and has remanded the issues of whether new and material evidence was received to reopen claims for bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, low back pain, and a liver condition.

The Veteran's knee and ankle disabilities have been granted increased ratings, with the highest possible under applicable criteria. The decision also includes a remand for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and a total disability rating due to PTSD was denied. The Board found that the September 2007 denial of service connection for PTSD became final, as the Veteran did not appeal it within one year. The earliest effective date for service connection is March 23, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder has been reopened, with the new VA medical opinion confirming that the current degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was incurred in service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has also been reopened, as there are STR showing complaints and treatment for headaches during service. The Board found these records to be new and material evidence.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder remains denied due to lack of new and material evidence that relates the current arthritis to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth has been reopened, but no new and material evidence was found to support his contention that dental trauma occurred during service.,Service connection for GERD is granted based on objective indications of a chronic disability (gastroesophageal reflux disease) that became manifest in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Gulf War.

The Board has remanded the appellant's claims of service connection for hypertension, bilateral knee pain, and increased rating for a lumbar spine disability due to inadequate medical opinions. The AOJ is required to obtain new VA opinions addressing causation, aggravation, medication effects, and pathophysiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for her service-connected right knee strain due to conflicting evidence and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back disability, right hip disability, and left knee disability due to incomplete verification of the Veteran's duty dates. Additional development is required to determine if these disabilities are related to active service or a period of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives regarding a VA addendum opinion on the relationship between the service-connected left knee disability and the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for right and left knee disabilities as they have been fully granted with the October 2020 rating decision.