Knee Board decisions

The Board has added new evidence to the record and requested that it be reviewed by the AOJ before deciding the claim. The Veteran's right knee condition is being remanded for further review.

The Veteran's initial rating for a left knee scar, residual of left knee arthroscopic surgery, from October 2, 2015 to the present, is denied. A 30 percent rating, but no higher, for left knee, Osgood-Schlatter's disease, from December 1, 2015 to the present, is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the right knee disorder. The Veteran's claim for service connection is now pending and will be reviewed again with a new medical examination.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal because his debt was forgiven in April 2020, and he received the benefit he sought - forgiveness of the overpayment of VA benefits during his period of incarceration.

The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity (major) is granted a 30 percent evaluation, effective July 16, 2018. The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper extremity (minor) is granted a 20 percent evaluation, effective July 16, 2018. Service connection for lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder are all granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left foot, brain tumor, and penile disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The claims are being remanded for additional development including obtaining VA opinions on etiology.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims related to his right ankle, bilateral knee pain, plantar warts, migraine headaches, spinal stenosis, a bilateral elbow condition, ulcerative colitis, and sleep apnea. The VA will need to obtain any relevant private treatment records and schedule the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including limited extension and instability, is rated at 20 percent. The left knee disability, including a meniscal condition and instability, is also rated at 20 percent. Effective May 19, 2011, the Veteran receives these ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for left knee, right knee, and low back disorders. The remand is due to insufficient evidence on whether pre-existing conditions were aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination, and a new evaluation is needed to determine if any right knee disability had its onset during service or is related to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, specifically right and left knee degenerative arthritis, were denied increased ratings. However, a separate additional 10 percent rating was granted for limitation of extension in both knees.

The Veteran's initial claim for a right knee disability and total knee replacement was granted with an initial rating of 50 percent from May 10, 2016 to August 18, 2017. The appeal for higher ratings or separate ratings beyond this period is denied. A rating higher than 100 percent for a right total knee replacement and a rating higher than 60 percent for residuals of the same are also denied. An initial compensable rating for a right knee scar is not granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various wrist, knee, and neck disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions. His claim for an initial compensable rating for tinea pedis is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral tinnitus, lower back condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, shin splints of the left leg, and shin splints of the right leg have all been denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury that would support these claims.,There is insufficient evidence to establish service connection for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's intermittent loose stools are related to service or an undiagnosed illness. The right knee disability remains under review with respect to potential CUE in the initial rating decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations and service connection have been granted. The reduction of the disability evaluation for instability of the right and left knees has been reversed, restoring the original ratings.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected right ankle and bilateral knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Board requires new examinations that comply with the requirements of Correia v. McDonald, including testing passive range of motion and providing opinions on additional functional loss during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to a duty to assist error in the November 2019 VA examination report. The examiner did not address whether the pes planus aggravated the knee disabilities, nor did they consider the Veteran's theories of entitlement regarding in-service onset or aggravation.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for left and right knee strain has been withdrawn.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including as secondary to service-connected low back disability, is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and migraine headaches as there is no evidence linking these conditions to her military service.