Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee osteoarthritis due to inadequate examination in January 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for temporary total evaluations based on convalescence following right knee surgeries in September 2019 and February 2020, finding that there was no evidence showing at least one month of convalescence or severe postoperative residuals.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the cases due to procedural issues and the need for additional evidence and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service due to the presumption under the PACT Act.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of COPD, an undiagnosed illness, or a qualifying chronic disability. The claims for service connection for left wrist and knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate opinions regarding direct service connection.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's service connection and rating claims due to his death during the appeal process.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection on all five issues related to various injuries and conditions, including right knee disorder, left knee disorder, TBI residuals, headaches, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's hypertension, sleep apnea, hearing loss, and spondylosis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine are all rated as they were originally. The issue of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee is remanded due to new evidence submitted since the last denial.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including depression, back disability, right and left knee disabilities, and kidney disease. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional evidence or undergo medical examinations regarding these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, status post total knee replacement, is granted. The Board found that the current disability is related to an in-service parachute jump injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his service-connected left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities as well as his entitlement to service connection for right and left knee instability. The effective date assigned was March 31, 2017, which is the date of the Veteran's intent to file a claim.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral leg condition, right foot condition, hepatitis C, and right knee osteoarthritis were dismissed. The appeal for service connection for lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy and myositis ossificans of the right thigh (right hip/thigh condition) is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, back disorder, and bruxism due to incomplete STRs and the need for further medical examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA medical opinions on secondary service connection claims and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left knee disability. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings and extraschedular consideration are also being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment during the period on appeal, warranting a grant of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral flat feet and plantar fasciitis, right or left ear disorder, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, right carpal tunnel syndrome (dominant), left carpal tunnel syndrome (nondominant), right shoulder acromioclavicular joint strain (dominant), right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to the Veteran's failure to appear for VA examinations scheduled in April 2023.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left knee and right ankle disabilities, as well as a TDIU from April 22, 2015, were denied. The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective from April 22, 2015.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected as they were caused by in-service noise exposure. The TBI is also service-connected as it was proximately due to the service-connected back disability.,Service connection for left knee and right knee disabilities is granted as these conditions are secondary to the service-connected back disability.