Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment since November 17, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability and chest pain cases require further examination and development, as the current evidence is insufficient to make a determination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee has been granted. The claim for a higher rating for his left ankle disability is denied, and the claim for service connection for his skin disability is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a right leg disorder (other than right knee sprain with degenerative joint disease) as the evidence did not support that any current disability was incurred in or caused by active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected hip and knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed back, right knee, plantar fasciitis disabilities, as well as his sleep apnea. The claims are being remanded for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to September 5, 2014 was denied. The earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) was granted and set at the same time as the grant of a 100% service-connected disability rating, which is September 5, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for a lower back disability, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, left knee instability, and right knee instability are being remanded.,An effective date prior to July 23, 2010, is denied for the grants of service connection for left and right knee degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's right knee chondromalacia and recurrent subluxation with instability have been granted increased ratings, but the limitation of extension has not met criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran was granted TDIU for the period from January 1, 2017, but not earlier.,For the period from May 8, 2013, to December 31, 2016, the Veteran's employment did not meet the criteria for TDIU as his income exceeded the poverty threshold.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the Veteran's cervical spine disability. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that there was no evidence of chronicity or direct causation and that the March 2023 VA examiner's opinion supported this conclusion.

The Veteran's cervical strain, thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis (back disability), right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper and left upper extremity radiculopathy, degenerative arthritis of the knees, and knee limitations are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's service connection claims for several disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral knee and foot disabilities, a vision disability, and a low back disability. The claims are being remanded to obtain information about the Veteran's periods of active duty, conduct VA examinations, and determine the current severity of his service-connected left inguinal hernia, torn right hamstring, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable at any point during the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a disorder of the third nail of the left hand and a right knee disorder, to include as due to service-connected lumbar spine spondylosis. The Veteran will have an opportunity to submit additional evidence and VA will provide advisory medical opinions.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection of cervical spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The lung disability claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. Radiculopathy claims were also denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral shoulder disabilities, a right knee disability (including below the knee amputation), and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The specific nature and etiology of these conditions will need to be addressed through further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted, but the claims for right knee disability and TBI residuals are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from November 10, 2018, due to service-connected depressive disorder. He also qualified for special monthly compensation based on housebound status.