Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to military service, and the character of his discharge from his second period of service is not a bar to VA benefits.,Service connection for heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and scars are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been denied. The Board found that the criteria for higher ratings were not met, except for a March 29, 2013 effective date for service connection of right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of an in-service injury or disease related to the current condition.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, finding that these conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected lumbar disc disease and bilateral hip strain.

The Board has determined that the reduction in ratings for migraines, major depressive disorder, neck disability, lumbar strain with degenerative changes/arthritis, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome was improper. The Veteran's original ratings are restored.

The Veteran's left knee and headache disabilities are being remanded for further development. The upper back disability is also being remanded, but the appeal does not involve service connection.

The Veteran's right knee strain is granted service connection, but her left knee strain, hysterectomy, and chronic low back pain are denied.

The Board has found that further development is required before adjudication of the service connection claims can proceed. The Veteran's Social Security Administration (SSA) medical records and VA treatment records from Monroeville, VA Outpatient Clinic need to be obtained.

The Veteran's initial increased disability ratings for tinnitus, right knee strain, and left ankle neuropathy were denied. The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder and marijuana use was also denied an increase in rating.,Issues related to service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, erectile dysfunction, and TDIU were remanded.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings related to her service-connected right knee strain, instability, IVDS, and radiculopathy are being remanded due to the RO not substantially complying with previous Board remand directives.

The Board has determined that additional evidence was added to the Veteran's claims file since the September 2019 SOC and requires remand for AOJ consideration. The issues of service connection for left hip disorder, right knee disorder, bilateral ankle condition, and sleep apnea are all being remanded due to lack of proper consideration in previous decisions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including ischemic heart disease, lumbosacral strain, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) as his combined schedular rating of 100% rendered the TDIU appeal moot. The Board also dismissed other issues related to increased ratings for PTSD, Crohn's Disease, and associated conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back and right knee disabilities due to new evidence received since the last denial. The Veteran's symptoms are linked to his military service, but a VA examiner will need to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability evaluation for scars, status post right knee meniscectomy was dismissed. The Board also remanded the issues of higher disability evaluations for right total knee replacement and TDIU.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's left knee disability, as the previous VA examination did not provide a clear rating for instability and subluxation.

The Board has granted service connection for multiple conditions including left and right shoulder tendonitis, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, left hip arthritis with subsequent replacement, right hip tendonitis, right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left and right ankle tendonitis.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations were denied. The Board found that the current ratings did not accurately reflect his service-connected lumbar spine and left knee conditions, but also noted that there was no evidence of incapacitating episodes or ankylosis during the relevant time periods.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran is also facing a TDIU claim that is being remanded as well.