Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's right knee disability, including a right patella tendon rupture and instability, is rated at 10 percent for the entire appeal period. The rating does not meet criteria for higher ratings under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including thoracolumbar spine, left knee, right knee, right shoulder, and right ankle conditions. The case will be remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's right knee DJD was rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating as his symptoms did not warrant an increase.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various musculoskeletal conditions, including PTSD, lower back condition, right and left knee conditions, left leg pain, and left ankle condition are remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation. The effective date claim for PTSD is also remanded as it may be addressed in conjunction with other issues.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and other conditions were denied in a final November 2005 rating decision. The claims were reopened based on new and material evidence submitted after March 31, 2015, but the effective date remains unchanged as it is not earlier than March 31, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anterior cruciate ligament right knee and left knee are not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, migraine headaches as secondary to a service-connected mental health disability, heart condition (angina), and respiratory condition (obstructive airway disease).,The Veteran's claims for anterior cruciate ligament right knee and left knee remain denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection is not granted for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypertension, or unspecified visual disorder.

The Veteran meets the criteria for a certificate of eligibility in purchasing an automobile and adaptive equipment due to permanent loss of use of his lower extremities from service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right tibial stress fracture and lumbar disc disease with low back pain, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. The claim for a right knee/leg disorder was denied due to lack of new and relevant evidence, while the claim for a low back disorder was also denied but readjudicated as granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee joint pain, as well as his claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right elbow injury. The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea are also remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance for a left knee brace is denied because he does not have service-connected left knee condition.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as his service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee and left knee osteoarthritis are remanded due to inadequate VA examination findings. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to assess the severity of his disabilities, including any flare-ups and repetitive use.

The Board has determined that the VA examination provided in December 2022 was inadequate as it did not address aggravation and the Veteran's claim of a torn or chipped cartilage. The case is therefore being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's PTSD with stimulant use disorder, cocaine, in sustained remission is rated at 50 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,There is no current right ankle disability for which service connection can be granted.

The Board has determined that the VA examination provided in December 2022 was inadequate as it did not address aggravation and did not address the Veteran's claim of torn and/or chipped cartilage. The case is therefore being remanded for a new opinion to cure this duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's right ankle arthritis with chronic instability is granted a 20 percent rating, the maximum allowed. Service connection for his left knee and right knee degenerative arthritis, as well as his bilateral hip osteoarthritis, are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFS) of the left and right knees is being remanded due to incomplete examination results and a need to address extraschedular consideration.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as there is insufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's problems with employment were attributed to behavioral incidents, such as being late or disagreements with management, rather than due to any service-connected condition.

The Board has granted an effective date of September 3, 2015 for the award of a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected left knee condition. The decision is based on the factually ascertainable increase in the severity of the Veteran's disability within one year prior to his intent to file a claim.