Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure. His back disability is linked to his active service, as evidenced by a history of injuries sustained during service.,The Veteran's right and left ankle disabilities were aggravated by his service-connected right total knee replacement and/or back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral knee disability and remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for sinusitis was denied. The petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for a left knee disability was granted.,Service connection for post-concussive headaches was granted, but service connection for peripheral neuropathy of any extremity or sleep condition was not established.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for secondary service connection for a back disability and right knee disability, both related to his service-connected left knee disability. The claim for secondary service connection of a left shoulder disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete service medical records. The Veteran's active duty and Army Reserve service are acknowledged, but further efforts must be made to obtain his complete service medical records.

The Veteran's right knee disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion. The left knee disability met the criteria for a 10 percent rating based on instability.,Prior to February 26, 2013, the Veteran's left knee condition was rated at 20 percent due to meniscal dislocation with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint. Since September 29, 2017, she received a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for erectile dysfunction, back condition, right knee condition, left knee condition, hypertension, bladder incontinence, and headaches due to insufficient rationale provided by the VA examiner.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ingrown toenail condition, bilateral knee condition, and acquired psychiatric condition have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain has been remanded.

The Board has determined that the development conducted does not comply with the May 2020 Board remand. Additional VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of any currently present right knee, left knee, and arthritis disabilities, other than right and left knee arthritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right groin strain, and left shoulder condition. The claim seeking entitlement to an initial rating greater than 10 percent for right groin strain was dismissed without prejudice. The claim seeking entitlement to a service connection for a bilateral knee condition is remanded.

The Veteran's left and right knee instability have been granted a 30 percent rating for the entirety of the appeal period, with no higher ratings allowed under applicable criteria.

The Board has remanded the claim for another examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and to secure opinions addressing the combined effects of all service-connected disabilities on his occupational functioning. The AOJ must also obtain private treatment records and secure TDIU-related opinions from an appropriate clinician.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, heart disability, liver disability, and diabetes mellitus type II due to lack of nexus opinions regarding his active service. The Veteran is also requested to provide an assessment of his level of exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded three issues: the rating for a left knee disability, service connection for a low back disability, and a temporary total rating due to hospitalization and convalescence for a low back disability. The remand is due to deficiencies in prior VA examinations and duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has denied service connection for anxiety and mood swings, PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, heart disorder, erectile dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sinusitis and rhinitis, right eye cataracts, left eye cataracts, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder. The Board found no in-service psychological injury or event leading to the current disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective January 18, 2013, based on his service-connected disabilities. The effective date is the earliest date that the claim for a TDIU arose, which was less than one year prior to receipt of the February 2013 application.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, CAD, left and right knee disabilities, and psychiatric disorder, prevented him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation as of May 24, 2022. The Board granted the TDIU claim effective from that date.

The Veteran's ratings for cerebral vascular accident with ataxia of bilateral lower extremities and left knee disability are restored, while the right knee disability is granted. The rating for left knee instability remains denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and right ankle disabilities due to lack of new and relevant evidence since the May 2020 decision.