Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee pain and obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay testimony and treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for his left hand disability and service connection for his right knee disorder due to outstanding VA examinations and lack of addendum medical opinions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder with anxiety, is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. His left knee scar is granted a 10 percent evaluation for being painful or unstable. The right knee disability is granted a 10 percent evaluation.

The Board granted a separate disability rating of 10 percent for right knee instability, but denied a higher rating for painful motion. The Veteran's knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has remanded both issues of entitlement to an increased rating for right knee patella alta and TDIU due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for left wrist, right wrist, left knee, left ankle, and right ankle disorders have been granted.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a neck disorder has also been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities are granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted service connection, while the left shoulder disability issue is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected low back, right knee, and left ankle disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment as of January 1, 2007.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, and left knee disorders. The Veteran's right knee disorder was not found to be related to his in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the claims for right ear hearing loss, OSA, psychiatric disorder, right knee condition, and left knee condition due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran's service records indicate he had noise exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development on several issues, including service connection claims and rating determinations.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for increased ratings and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance or housebound status, which were previously denied. The Board has dismissed these claims as the Veteran requested withdrawal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral lower extremity and left ankle disabilities have been reopened, but the new evidence does not establish a current disability or medical nexus.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) has also been reopened. The new evidence shows symptoms consistent with PTSD.

The Veteran's right knee disability was granted a 20 percent rating for recurrent subluxation from December 21, 2022. A separate 20 percent rating was also granted for cartilage damage from December 3, 2021. The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 70 percent from February 19, 2021 to July 23, 2022 and TDIU based solely on PTSD was granted starting from the same date.

The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities make it impossible for him to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to their failure to attend VA examinations and current homelessness. The RO is instructed to attempt to locate the Veteran, schedule new VA examinations if located, and consider all relevant evidence in determining the nature and etiology of the claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's depression is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee and/or left hip disabilities. The Veteran's right knee and left hip increased rating claims are also being remanded for additional examinations to assess the severity of these conditions, taking into account the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee osteoarthritis were denied as the Veteran failed to report for VA examinations without good cause.