Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities, as well as TDIU. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to assess her current disability levels.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral flat feet, bilateral heel spurs, low back disability, left knee disability, and neck disability. The claims are being remanded to allow for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran is granted increased ratings for instability and cartilage condition of the right knee, but denied further increases in rating due to the maximum disability rating being reached.

The Board has remanded the claims due to new evidence obtained by VA, and the Veteran is entitled to a full review of his claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for left knee arthritis, finding that there was no evidence of chronic left knee symptoms since service or within a year of separation. The Board also found that the current condition is not related to any in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for lumbar spine disability and entitlement to TDIU prior to February 3, 2020 due to inadequate medical opinions in the March 2018 and February 2020 examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for right knee instability and left knee strain due to inadequate medical opinions regarding functional loss and severity of symptoms during the appeal period.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left ankle, right ankle, left knee, right knee, right hip, left hip, thoracolumbar spine disorder (previously claimed as a spinal injury), and cervical spine disorder (previously claimed as a spinal injury).

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his right knee condition is being remanded due to the addition of new VA treatment evidence and because more than one hearing was held by separate Veterans Law Judges.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a left knee disability, and a left ankle disability. The claim for a sleep disorder (OSA) is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including gastritis, diverticulosis, TMJ, headaches, hypertension, kidney cyst, and gout of the left knee. The reasons given were that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for left and right knee disabilities have been denied multiple times, with the most recent denial being in December 2014. The Veteran's claim for an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD has been remanded.,The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus type II (DM) has also been remanded.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy (claimed as numbness), left lower extremity radiculopathy (claimed as numbness), right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability are dismissed.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for bilateral pes planus is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for right knee disability is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for left knee disability (claimed as chronic knee strain post fracture of the left lateral femoral condyle) is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for right shin splint disability is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for left shin splint disability is reopened.,The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for right wrist disability is reopened.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension under the PACT Act, which entitles the Veteran to an effective date of August 10, 2022. The Board has also remanded the issues regarding bilateral ankle disability, bilateral knee disability, and low back condition as they relate to obesity as an intermediate step.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for chronic back pain, bilateral knee condition, and bilateral foot condition due to inadequate previous medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability, right meniscus tear, and bilateral osteoarthritis. The VA is required to obtain updated treatment records and seek a new medical opinion from an orthopedic specialist.

The Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis are rated at 40 percent from August 27, 2018 to January 18, 2019. The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's knees due to lack of proper range of motion measurements.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claims for service connection for right knee disability, bilateral pes planus, anxiety and depression is granted. The Board finds the issues of service connection are inextricably intertwined with the reopened claims and therefore remands them for further development.

Service connection is granted for a left knee disability, right knee disability, and back disability. Service connection is denied for hyperlipidemia, hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, varicose veins, and blood clots of the lower extremities.,The Veteran's service treatment records indicate an in-service left knee injury. A private medical opinion diagnosed a current left knee disability and opined that it was related to the in-service injury. The July 2017 VA examination indicated no relationship between the left knee disability and service, but this is not considered as the August 2022 private medical opinion is more persuasive.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to the need for a new examination and consideration of the Veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities, including instability and limitation of motion. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it may be significantly impacted by the results of these examinations.