Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's right knee scars were rated at 10 percent from January 22, 2019 to June 14, 2022. From June 15, 2022 to October 6, 2022, she received a 20 percent rating for her painful right knee and upper back scars. The Veteran's appeal was granted with the effective date being from October 7, 2022.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder(s).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various skin and musculoskeletal conditions due to new evidence submitted after the September 2020 supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected right and left knee osteoarthritis, dorsolumbar back pain with degenerative arthritis, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and GERD were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for any condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional evidence, specifically post-service treatment records from WAMC.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease and high blood pressure due to a lack of VA medical records, inability to locate his military separation examination, and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds insufficient evidence to grant a higher rating.,Service connection for right and left knee disabilities is denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or environmental exposures.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right and left upper extremities are not service connected, with no objective evidence of peripheral neuropathy at the time of examination 25 years after service.,The Veteran's sleep disorder is not service connected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee conditions, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected bilateral foot disability.

The Veteran requested the Board to dismiss his claim for service connection of a right knee disability, and the Board granted this request.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been remanded due to the legacy appeal system not being opted into the modernized review system.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including his meniscectomy and joint edema, is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted under the current criteria for Diagnostic Code 5257.,A separate 10 percent rating has been granted for symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage of the left knee.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and an increased rating for major depressive disorder were denied. The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for internal derangement of the right knee prior to April 15, 2011 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to obtain VA and private treatment records, including from Tampa VAMC and non-VA providers. The Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for left knee instability is now pending again.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of chronic in-service injury or disease and no causal relationship to service. The Board also found that secondary service connection based on back pain could not be granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of left knee gunshot wound is granted. However, his claims for bilateral toe fungus and right ear hearing loss are denied.,The Veteran was granted service connection for the residuals of a left leg/left knee GSW but denied service connection for bilateral toe fungus and right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for spine and bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The examination is needed to determine if any diagnosed spinal or knee disability is related to service, including a fall during training exercises.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to incomplete examination findings and failure to consider the use of medication during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions due to a lack of information about the qualifications of the examiners who conducted the September 2014 VA examinations.