Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of right and left knee disabilities has been dismissed due to their death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inconsistencies in the VA examination report and potential applicability of specific criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee synovitis and strain, instability, and symptomatic partial lateral meniscectomy due to issues with range of motion during flare-ups and functional loss. The TDIU and SMC matters are also inextricably intertwined and will be deferred until further development is completed.

The Board has remanded the increased rating claims for bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with painful motion and instability/subluxation due to a failure to comply with prior instructions in a VA examination report.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, left foot, and right foot conditions due to a lack of evidence showing that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions in VA examinations. The issues include left and right knee conditions, gastrointestinal disorder, stomach disorder, gout, and vision loss.

The Veteran's torn meniscus and right knee degenerative joint disease were granted a 20 percent evaluation from July 28, 2015 to August 31, 2020. The rating for the right knee degenerative joint disease was denied as it did not meet criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent based on limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incongruities in the medical opinions and lack of nexus evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The cases are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his knee, elbow, fatigue (undiagnosed illness), squamous cell cancer of the skin, and sleep disturbances.

The Board has determined that new VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, as his last VA examinations were over 8 years ago and he has submitted evidence suggesting a worsening of his conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome was denied as the evidence did not show limitation of motion more nearly approximating flexion limited to 30 degrees.,Service connection for numbness in arms resulting from bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve entrapment was denied because it is a diagnosed condition with fully understood etiology and pathophysiology.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, bilateral knee disability, and respiratory airway disease (COPD).

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis as secondary to his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee and low back disabilities, finding that these conditions were aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's right knee replacement has been granted a 60 percent rating effective November 12, 2019.,A 60 percent rating for total left knee replacement (previously rated as left knee strain) is granted from December 1, 2019.,The Veteran's right knee scar was initially rated at 10 percent and has been remanded to determine if a higher initial rating is warranted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and right knee disability due to issues with the adequacy of the reasons and bases provided in the decision. The cases are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeals of service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, hypertension, gastrointestinal condition (hiatal hernia and acid reflux), arthritis of the upper extremities, and left ankle condition have been dismissed as moot due to the grant of these conditions in a prior rating decision. The appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss has also been dismissed.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection and ratings for various disabilities, finding that the claims were not filed before June 14, 2016.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow any form of substantially gainful employment prior to January 25, 2021.

The Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis were not incurred in or aggravated by active-duty service. Headache disability was also denied as it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.