Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with TBI was granted an initial 70 percent rating effective January 31, 2017. The upper brachial plexus injury claim is dismissed.

The Veteran's left knee chondral defect with loose bodies and meniscal tear, status post arthroscopy, is rated at a 20 percent disability rating for the entire appeal period.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability and granted initial noncompensable ratings for right and left knee disabilities. The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings remain in appellate status.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee disabilities and right ankle disability due to inadequate opinions in July 2018, and because of new evidence presented at the June 2021 Board Hearing. The Veteran's representative asserted that his right ankle disability is caused by overcompensating on his right side due to his service-connected back and left ankle disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining retrospective findings from an appropriate clinician to determine the severity of the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and issuing a supplemental statement of the case on entitlement to increased ratings.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee disability and low back disability. The main issue is determining whether any of these conditions are related to service or other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's increased rating for a neck disability is granted effective May 9, 2016. The grants of service connection for left knee and right upper extremity radiculopathy are denied prior to the dates indicated. Tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are rated as they currently stand.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA examiner's opinion. The Veteran contends his current knee and heel disabilities are related to military service, but the VA examiner found no evidence of such.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the June 2022 VA examination report and other issues related to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The remand includes scheduling a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability, including range of motion testing under weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing conditions, as well as assessing flare-ups and functional loss.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee meniscus tear and degenerative arthritis is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been granted increased ratings, with the specific details provided for each knee.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to inadequate opinions regarding causation and aggravation.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for bronchial asthma and left knee disorder was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions. The case will be reviewed again with additional examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left hip and left knee disabilities, finding no evidence of a current disability. The case is remanded to obtain medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to service or secondary to other service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and back disability have been reopened, and the Board has found that these conditions are related to his military service. The claim for TDIU is also remanded.,The VA will provide an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's back disability was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU has been granted. The left knee meniscectomy residuals, right knee osteoarthritis (rated as limitation of flexion), and right knee total arthroplasty have all received appropriate ratings.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left knee disorder was dismissed due to his death in October 2021.

The Board has determined that the claims of service connection for bilateral hip, knee, neck, and low back disorders must be remanded due to inadequate opinions from previous VA examiners. New examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are related to the Veteran's period of service.