Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claims for COPD, OSA, HTN, and other conditions are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the April 2023 VA examination. A new examination is needed to assess the current severity and functional impairment of the condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, but the bilateral knee condition issue is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has denied increased disability evaluations for the Veteran's right and left total knee replacements, but has remanded the issue of a compensable disability evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss prior to February 20, 2018.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and left leg below the knee amputation, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease leading to these conditions. The claim for secondary service connection based on service-connected right hip, right knee, and/or right ankle disorders was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a headache disability, but denied service connection for all other conditions due to lack of evidence linking them to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of right knee strain, right hip disorder, and left wrist disorder. The claims are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to inadequate medical opinions from previous examinations. The Veteran is required to provide retrospective opinions on his lumbar spine and left knee disabilities, including their functional loss over time.

The Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative osteoarthritis of the right knee is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's service-connected limitation of flexion from patellofemoral syndrome, right knee, does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's skin disorder, rosacea, is currently rated as noncompensable prior to October 23, 2017 and 30 percent from that date. The knees are currently rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period.,The Veteran's chondromalacia patella with arthritis of both knees does not meet or approximate criteria for a disability rating greater than 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation for left knee surgical scars, an evaluation greater than 10 percent for right knee limitation of extension prior to July 21, 2022, or a compensable evaluation for right knee limitation of flexion. However, he is granted a rating of 10 percent evaluation for right knee instability and a rating of 10 percent evaluation for left knee instability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his service-connected right and left knee conditions.

The Veteran's right wrist disability is not service-connected as it did not originate in service or until years thereafter and is not otherwise etiologically related to service.,The Veteran's right knee disability was manifested, at worst, by limitation of flexion to 100 degrees for the right knee and 110 degrees for the left knee. The Veteran has been assigned the highest schedular ratings assignable for his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to incomplete records and the need for further verification of the Veteran's periods of active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, migraine headache disability, vision disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to incomplete records and lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the condition began during service and continues today.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the propriety of severance of service connection for left knee limited flexion.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and increased ratings due to the Veteran's withdrawal of those claims. The left hip disability issue is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's amputation was caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.