Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and a right knee disability, but has remanded the issue of left ear hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis with instability is rated at 10 percent since August 6, 2021. The rating for painful motion prior to December 13, 2022, and limited extension after that date are denied.,A separate 10 percent rating for left knee lateral instability has been granted from the effective date of the August 2021 VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, insomnia, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity were initially granted with effective dates of February 6, 2014. The Veteran disagrees with these effective dates.,The Board finds that the earliest date for which service connection can be established is February 6, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee strain and degenerative arthritis, as well as bilateral pes planus. The Veteran's current conditions are believed to have started during his active military service.,Service connection was also granted for migraine headaches secondary to a pre-existing condition (service-connected anxiety disorder with insomnia disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities due to conflicting VA examination findings and a need for further development.

The Veteran's PTSD and major depressive disorder resulted in social and occupational impairment with at least occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks from June 1, 2016, to December 20, 2019.,The Veteran's right knee injury and Osgood-Schlatter disease and status post meniscus tear resulted in painful limited motion of the right knee from June 1, 2016, to November 14, 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete examinations and a failure to apply the correct standard in determining whether pre-existing conditions were aggravated by service. Additional examination is needed to determine the etiology of the psychiatric disability and left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, right hip, and lumbosacral strain have been granted. The VA has also remanded the cases to obtain updated examinations to assess current severity of his left knee and right ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee disability received a 100% rating for one year following the December 6, 2018, total knee replacement. The right sciatic nerve disability was rated at 20%. These ratings are granted.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee replacement.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding both direct and secondary theories of entitlement.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss or loss of use of a hand or foot, permanent vision impairment of both eyes, severe burn injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ankylosis of a knee or hip. Therefore, the Veteran is not eligible for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right knee instability due to a finality issue. The claim for TDIU is remanded as it is intertwined with the spine rating claim.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he passed away during the appeal process.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disability was granted, while the claims for left knee and left ankle disabilities were denied.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee condition, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his active duty service and does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to exposure to herbicides or other environmental exposures.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically failing to obtain VA examinations and medical opinions regarding the current nature and likely etiology of the Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, as well as his peripheral neuropathy. The AOJ is also required to readjudicate the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability.

The Veteran's right knee disability, specifically painful motion during flexion, is rated at a 10 percent disability rating. The decision grants this initial rating.

The Veteran's right knee and right shoulder disabilities are granted service connection.,Service connection for a headache disability is denied.

The Board has dismissed the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The remaining claims have been REMANDED for further development.