Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that an increased evaluation in excess of 70 percent is not warranted. The Veteran's impairment of the knee (right) is currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded all of the Veteran's claims due to inadequate VA examinations and new evidence received since the last decision.

The Veteran's back brace tends to wear and tear his clothing, warranting a clothing allowance for the year 2020.

The Board has dismissed all appeals for service connection and rating issues related to various body parts due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability.,Service connection was withdrawn for left elbow, lumbar spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee disability is related to service, including physical training on cobblestone roads for six years and jumping from windows. The decision is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in obtaining an adequate rationale regarding the onset of the condition.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for his TDIU due to a finding that the January 2020 rating decision was not appealable.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee and right shoulder disabilities are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The Board requires an addendum VA opinion on the right knee disability, including whether a superimposed injury occurred during service, and a VA examination for the right shoulder disability.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted to reconsider the claim of service connection for patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee. The case is being remanded for further consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and stomach hernia were denied. The Board found no current disabilities, as the evidence did not show any symptoms or diagnoses of these conditions since separation from service.,Service connection for anxiety was dismissed as moot due to a subsequent grant of service connection in a separate decision.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings in excess of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain, left shoulder strain, right shoulder strain, and left knee strain have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected residuals of total left knee arthroplasty was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding warranting a disability rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's knee disabilities, as well as to determine an appropriate effective date for tinnitus service connection. The issues of increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities are pending.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent for his right knee was denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation, as the residuals were rated based on chronic conditions and the current functional impairment did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates for his right and left knee disabilities have been dismissed due to a procedural defect.,The Veteran's appeal seeking a compensable rating for his left patella scar has been accepted, but the claims are still pending.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for left elbow, right elbow, right wrist, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to obtain a VA examination and to verify the Veteran's period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in June 1974. The claim will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for back disability was initially denied in a February 2015 rating decision. The Board has reopened the claim due to new evidence received since then, but the issues related to his knees and back need further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's left knee disability was restored to a 30 percent rating effective April 15, 2019.,The Veteran's right knee disability was also restored to a 30 percent rating effective April 15, 2019.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that his arthritis is due to continuous symptoms since service.