Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection of left knee, right knee, and spine disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions addressing their etiology.,A TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the issues above.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee, left knee, cervical spine disorder, CFS, right fingers, left fingers, right hip, left hip, lumbar spine disorder, right wrist, left wrist, left leg, right shoulder, left lower extremity sciatic nerve disorder, burns of the right tibia/fibula, and GERD disorders due to incomplete service treatment records and lack of confirmation of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected right and left knee patella chondromalacia due to inadequate examination findings and failure to consider the Veteran's reports of instability.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to insufficient medical opinions addressing their etiology. The Veteran's service records indicate he had knee problems in service, but his current disabilities may be related to post-service treatment or other factors.

The Veteran's appeal for the issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for service connection for a left hip disorder was dismissed.,The claims for service connection for headaches, left ankle disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and left shoulder disorder were all reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for fatigue is denied. The initial rating for migraine headaches prior to March 22, 2016 is granted at 50 percent. Service connection claims for various joint and tinnitus conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder due to chronic pain and multiple knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and a higher rating for his right knee disability, leaving only the left knee issues unresolved. The Board dismissed these remaining issues as moot.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a left knee disorder, right knee disorder (claimed as secondary to a left knee disorder), and hypertension due to conflicting opinions regarding their etiology. The VA examiner found that these conditions are less likely related to military service.

The Veteran was found unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities prior to September 20, 2013.

The Veteran's ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees have been denied as they do not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's bilateral knee strains and insomnia, including obtaining updated VA treatment records, scheduling a new examination for his knees, and requesting medical opinions on service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for his left knee meniscal tear with ACL tear, left knee instability, and right knee retropatellar pain syndrome have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The Veteran served in Vietnam and contends his current disabilities are related to combat injuries.

The Veteran's claims for initial ratings of 50 percent for left knee limitation of extension, 30 percent for left knee limitation of flexion, and 30 percent for left knee instability have been granted. The claim for an initial rating of 30 percent for right knee limitation of flexion has also been granted.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by both the Veteran and his representative, thus the case is dismissed.

The reduction of rating for a right knee disability from 10 percent to 0 percent, effective September 1, 2018, was not proper and restoration of a 10 percent rating is granted. Entitlement to a higher rating for the right knee disability is denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at a 20 percent rating effective December 10, 2019. The right total knee replacement with residual of decreased range of motion and pain is also rated at a 20 percent rating from the same date. Service connection for back disability has been denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability and lumbar condition are granted as secondary to his service-connected right knee degenerative arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected left leg disabilities caused his alcohol use and/or cannabis use disorders.