Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left knee disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability due to inadequate opinions from a June and December 2023 VA examiner. The Veteran is scheduled for VA examinations to determine the etiology of his disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for groin pain, bilateral knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and restless leg syndrome due to additional evidence received after the transfer of his case to the Board.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for an increased rating for tinnitus and an effective date prior to June 10, 2015, for service connection for tinnitus.,The Board found new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and MDD).

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. The rating for total right knee replacement was maintained at 60 percent since October 5, 2016. An earlier effective date of March 23, 2012, for TDIU benefits was granted. The earlier effective date of May 21, 2016, for DEA benefits was also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 were denied due to lack of evidence linking the claimed conditions to military service or VA treatment, respectively.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee condition and cervical spine strain were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied these claims. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, with the majority of issues being granted. Service connection is now established for neck disability and headaches.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability was dismissed due to his withdrawal. The case is remanded for further development regarding COPD, back, neck, and right knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for low back disability and left knee instability and meniscus tear due to new evidence. The Veteran's appeal is not about service connection, but rather a request for higher disability ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disorders, diagnosed as osteoarthritis, and a low back disorder, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease, all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hammertoe.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, including meniscal tears and instability, are rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent each. The VA has granted separate ratings for left and right knee instability.

The Veteran's increased ratings for left knee arthritis and residuals of meniscus surgery are denied, while service connection for sleep apnea is also denied.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his audiometric test results did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.,Service connection for right shoulder disability and left knee disability were both denied due to lack of in-service incurrence or relationship to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to obtain updated treatment records and medical opinions regarding her migraines, bilateral knee conditions, left lower lobe atelectasis, and endometriosis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increase ratings for his left knee and shoulder conditions due to inadequate examinations in the May 2023 decision. The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for these conditions throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for chronic fatigue syndrome and unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder have been granted. The heart disability claim is remanded, as are the claims for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, right knee, left knee, and right ankle. The Veteran's gastritis with GERD claim also requires further examination.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis and left knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are causally linked to her military service.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a left knee disorder due to inadequate etiology opinions and the need for further examination. The Veteran's specific claims regarding his in-service injury will be considered.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including arthritis and meniscus injury, was rated based on the severity of his symptoms. The Board found that a higher rating for instability was not warranted but granted separate ratings for painful motion and meniscal condition. However, the TDIU claim for the period prior to April 1, 2019, is pending as it is part of the increased rating appeal.