Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and left knee retropatellar pain syndrome with patella femoral tendonitis are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a more comprehensive VA examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability, finding that there is sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the current condition and his military service. The decision also reopened the previously denied claim.

The Veteran's sinusitis, TMJ, and left knee condition are all found to be service-connected.,Service connection for pituitary disease is denied as there was no evidence of a current disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for several disabilities, including left foot and eye disabilities. The remaining claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted an effective date of February 26, 2011, for the award of a separate rating for left knee instability. The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development regarding his initial ratings and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left wrist disorder, left knee disorder, right arm disorder (other than residuals of a fractured distal radius), and left arm disorder due to inadequate opinions in prior decisions.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted service connection, and his irritant contact dermatitis is granted a 30% rating since March 16, 2019. Other issues are remanded.

The Veteran's left knee strain with degenerative joint disease was granted a 20% evaluation from April 14, 2015 to December 19, 2015.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence being obtained since the last AOJ adjudication.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for heart and skin cancer of the extremities have been dismissed. The Board has referred other issues to the RO.

The Board has granted service connection for rhabdomyolysis and its residuals, as well as secondary service connection for right shoulder pain, left shoulder pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, right hip pain, and neck pain all related to the Veteran's in-service diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability has been reopened and granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of in-service onset and continuity of symptoms, warranting service connection.,For his residuals, shrapnel to left quadricep, the Veteran is not entitled to an increased rating as there is no evidence of moderate or more severe impairment.

The Veteran's request for retroactive payment under Chapter 31 of the United States Code, for education expenses incurred while pursuing his Associate degree in Diesel Technology is denied. The Board found that not all criteria for retroactive induction into the VR&E program were met.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for right shoulder, left shoulder, right foot, left foot, left knee, headaches, chest pains, and blurred vision disabilities due to incomplete treatment records at the Jacksonville CBOC. The Veteran's current disability diagnoses are being evaluated in light of his service-connected thoracolumbar strain, sprain, and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS).

The Board has remanded several issues related to the veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and earlier effective dates. The appeal is not about service connection via a presumption like PACT Act/Agent Orange/Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, gastritis, and heart disability have been granted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a right ankle disability are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and meniscal tear are related to his active service, granting the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a left hip disability on a secondary aggravation basis. The right and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder was rated at 70 percent prior to March 1, 2016. The claim for a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's right knee strain has been rated at 10 percent since February 20, 2020. The claim for a higher rating is denied.,Effective from February 20, 2020, the Veteran was granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability. The claim for a higher rating is denied.,For the period prior to October 27, 2022, the Veteran's low back strain with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine warranted a 10 percent rating. The claim for a higher rating is denied.,Beginning from October 27, 2022, the Veteran's low back strain with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine warranted a 20 percent rating. The claim for a higher rating is denied.,For the period prior to March 1, 2016, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and vocational history.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting the grant of a TDIU.