Knee Board decisions

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disorder. The lumbar spine disorder rating is remanded due to conflicting evidence and need for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder of GAD and MDD, as well as left knee osteoarthritis. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injuries and continuous symptoms since separation.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for left knee instability, effective February 7, 2021.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's knee, hip, ankle, shoulder, neck, and back disabilities due to a lack of adequate rationale in previous opinions and the need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee instability have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for either condition at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's flat feet disability, including pes planus and plantar fasciitis (flat feet), is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's back disability is granted as service-connected. The examiner noted that the in-service training did not cause or aggravate her current back condition.,The Veteran's depression is granted as service-connected based on in-service incidents.,The Veteran's left knee disability is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right arm disability (including elbow and wrist disabilities) is remanded for further evaluation.,The Veteran's right ankle disability is remanded for further evaluation.,The Veteran's left ankle disability is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various right hand, wrist, ankle, knee, and shoulder disorders due to incomplete examinations and lack of consideration of functional loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, and hip disabilities due to insufficient medical evidence. The Veteran's representative raised a new theory of entitlement that his claimed disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected back and neck disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee instability and an increased rating for his service-connected left knee disability due to conflicting evidence and incomplete examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee, right ankle, left ankle, and back disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned.,The Veteran's claims for PTSD, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability), left ankle sprain, and ingrown right great toenail are remanded due to insufficient evidence of a current disability or service connection.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is also remanded as the opinion provided by the VA examiner was inadequate.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and shoulder disorders have been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions. The claim for esinophillic esophagitis with dysphagia remains denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back and left knee disorders due to a change in how VA must determine secondary service connection. The Veteran's claim is being reviewed to see if his current conditions would have developed without his pre-existing hip disorders.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee patellar fracture, osteoarthritis, patellar joint excess fluid, and patellar osteoarthritis, finding that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and degenerative arthritis of the right knee, rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to July 13, 2016. The Board granted a TDIU for this period.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities due to new and material evidence. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of her current disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to obtain updated VA treatment records, private treatment records from the Valentine Clinic in Nebraska and Indian Health Services, and schedule a VA musculoskeletal examination.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee and bilateral dry eye syndrome, but denied service connection for left eye macular hole. The Veteran's claims are remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and schedule him for a new VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (claimed as peripheral neuropathy). Service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.