Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's December 2019 substantive appeal was timely filed in response to the October 2019 SOC, and therefore reinstates the appeal of the underlying claims.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient clarification from a VA examiner regarding whether the service-connected left ankle traumatic arthritis caused or aggravated the right ankle and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional examinations. The SMC claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with other issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee strain has been denied. The Board also remanded the issue of TDIU prior to June 1, 2020 due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder, is granted as service connected. The low back disorder, right knee disorders, left knee disorders, and eye disorder are all remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at 50 percent, and his right knee chondromalacia is rated at 10 percent. The left foot disability was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability. The effective date for the award of service connection remains March 27, 2014.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding no causal relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities. The decision did not provide a specific rating assigned or effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone have not rendered him unemployable at any point during the appellate period, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his sleep disorder, right hip disability, right ankle disability, TBI, actinic keratosis, and ingrown toenails.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support such an increase.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU related to his service-connected bilateral knee conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations.,Specifically, the Board is requesting that the AOJ obtain pertinent medical records from Womack Army Hospital and Fayetteville VA Medical Center. They also request an examination of the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his service-connected left knee disability was denied by the Board, as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 30 degrees or less at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran withdrew all his claims before a decision was made by the Board.

The Board has granted a 60 percent disability rating for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, effective from November 1, 2017, and July 1, 2017 respectively. The ratings are subject to the amputation rule.

The Veteran's headaches, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and depressive disorder are all found to be related to his active service.,Service connection is granted for these conditions. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the left knee disability, right foot disability, right eye disability, sleep apnea, kidney disability, or skin disability began during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for new examinations and consideration of updated VA criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for chondromalacia of the right and left knees, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The remand is due to inadequate prior examinations that did not provide sufficient range of motion estimates during flare-ups.