Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to correct the pre-decisional duty to assist error and obtain an adequate VA examination for the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal of the December 2018 SOC is reinstated, and his claims for service connection are decided on their merits.

The Veteran's service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities, including tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 27, 2022. As of that date, his combined disability rating reached 100 percent due to additional service-connected conditions, making the TDIU issue moot.

The Board has remanded both issues for further review due to inadequate VA examinations and the need to consider additional evidence from the claims file.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee strain and residuals of right ankle condition are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of his disabilities during flare-ups.

The Veteran's SLE with scarring alopecia and bilateral knee osteoarthritis was granted a 100 percent disability rating from May 11, 2021. Prior to that date, the Veteran had a 60 percent disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic left knee disorder and bilateral pes planus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of multiple disabilities, including left shoulder disability, bilateral eye disability, neck disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and seizure disability, due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed as the VA Form 10182 was not timely filed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran needs to be provided with a Gulf War examination to determine if his disabilities are related to his service in Southwest Asia.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle sprain, gout, left knee strain, and mild left shoulder degenerative changes as they are not related to the Veteran's military service.,There is no evidence in the record that links any of these conditions to the Veteran's active duty or National Guard service.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for a disorder of the left lower leg, right lower leg, left knee, and right knee disorders are denied.,Service connection for a left shoulder disorder and right shoulder disorder are denied.,Service connection for rhinitis is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for left ankle tendinopathy, right ankle tendinopathy, and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his active duty.

Your claims for service connection have been readjudicated. However, your cervical spine condition and bilateral knee disability are being remanded to the AOJ.,Your claims for service connection have been readjudicated. Your hallux valgus (periodic surgery) and periodontal disease claims are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and incomplete evidence. The Veteran's left knee, shoulder, psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and essential tremors are all being reviewed.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee condition, finding that the Veteran's current left knee condition did not begin during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Board remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for generalized anxiety disorder due to insufficient medical opinion provided by the VA examiner.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his low back strain, right knee patellar dislocation with chronic strain, and right knee meniscus disability have been granted. The effective date is November 29, 2011.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including post-replacement status and instability issues, is granted a maximum schedular rating of 60 percent. His left knee instability is rated at 10 percent from October 12, 2018 to November 2, 2020. The Veteran's entitlement to SMC in excess of the (k) level and service connection for right hip disability are denied.

The Veteran's right total knee arthroplasty, residual of right femur fracture, status postoperative medial meniscectomy with chondromalacia and degenerative joint disease is granted a 60 percent evaluation effective March 1, 2013.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment throughout the rating period on appeal, granting her TDIU.