Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip, foot, ankle, and knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome and chondromalacia have not been found to warrant a disability rating in excess of 10 percent, while lateral instability has also not met the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, knee, hand, wrist, foot, and eye conditions, as well as a psychiatric disability (PTSD), are remanded due to insufficient evidence or need for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities cause an intermittent inability to provide for his needs and require his wife's assistance, leading the Board to find that he requires aid and attendance of another person.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, as well as his limitation of extension of the left knee. The AOJ is instructed to obtain a retrospective medical opinion regarding functional loss due to flare-ups and whether the Veteran's pain on motion is equivalent to ankylosis.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbar disability.,From January 9, 2015 to April 19, 2016, the Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected lumbar disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back pain, right knee disability, and left shoulder disability due to his failure to report for necessary VA examinations.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to service connection for heart disability, diabetes mellitus type II, right knee disability, left knee disability, and low back disability. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examinations and requests for TERA examination. The Veteran's bilateral shoulder condition, bilateral knee condition, and kidney infection are not related to his active service or toxic exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for left knee patellar tendonitis and TDIU due to new evidence added after the most recent SSOC, as well as issues with the December 2023 VA examination. The Veteran will be asked to provide updated information about his employment during the appeal period and tax returns from relevant years.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbar radiculopathy, left lower extremity was denied. The RO also remanded claims related to scars from breast reduction and left knee chondromalacia.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss disability has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of a disability that meets VA criteria.,PTSD and lumbar spine disability ratings are remanded due to the need for updated examinations.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals regarding ovarian cyst, dermatitis/skin condition of face, and right knee disorder.

The Veteran's tinnitus, left wrist disability, and right knee disability related to his service-connected ankle disability have been granted.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and left knee disability claims are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran is currently employed as a police officer, which means he cannot meet the criteria for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's disability ratings for his service-connected conditions were reduced, but the reductions are now reinstated. The reduction of the rating for status post left total knee replacement and degenerative joint disease of the right knee was not proper, and the original ratings are restored.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his right knee, left knee, right hip, left hip disabilities, and degenerative disc disease to include degenerative arthritis of the lower back. The issues are related to whether these conditions had their onset during military service or are otherwise causally or etiologically related to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's hypertension has been granted an initial 10 percent rating effective September 29, 2017.,Service connection for the lumbar spine disability, tinnitus, and hypertension have all been granted with effective dates of September 29, 2017.,Service connection for a left knee disability has not been established.,Service connection for a right knee disability has not been established.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (social anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder) has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for left foot metatarsalgia, left knee disability, and right knee disability are remanded due to insufficient development.,Further investigation is needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.