Knee Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral knee arthritis due to insufficient evidence and incomplete medical records. The case will be sent back for a new VA opinion.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis (limitation of extension) is now rated at 30 percent from April 9, 2021.,The Veteran's right knee instability is now rated at 20 percent effective April 9, 2021 and 10 percent prior to that date.,A separate 10 percent rating for a painful right knee scar associated with right knee osteoarthritis has been granted.

The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia and meniscal damage have been remanded for further evaluation.,Service connection for a left foot disability has also been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her right knee scars disability is being remanded due to the need to consider additional evidence and reconsider whether the Veteran's scar disability is both unstable and painful, warranting an additional 10 percent rating under DC 7804, Note (2).

The Veteran's right knee instability is granted a 10 percent rating from September 23, 2010 to February 7, 2021. Ratings in excess of 10 percent for right knee instability are denied starting from February 7, 2021.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability and potential aggravation by service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee disability, which included painful range of motion and instability, was rated at 10 percent before June 6, 2012. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability, which is secondary to his right knee disability. The VA examiner found that there was no clear evidence from medical literature suggesting an injury to one joint would have any significant impact on another or opposite uninjured joint. A new VA examination is required to determine if the Veteran's gait abnormalities caused by his service-connected right knee condition may have aggravated his left knee.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disorder has rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment since February 2, 2009.

The Veteran's initial ratings for left and right knee patellofemoral syndrome, migraine headaches, and spondylosis with thoracic and lumbosacral spine strain (back disability) have been denied. The appeal is now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 60 percent for his left knee injury, post/operative knee replacement is dismissed. Service connection claims for bilateral foot disorder, low back disorder, and right knee disorder are denied as the evidence does not support direct service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, headaches, lumbar disc herniation and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with chondromalacia and meniscus tear, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with meniscus tear post-operative, and radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a right knee condition as secondary to service-connected hypertension and left knee degenerative joint disease, respectively. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's conditions were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral knee and ankle disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of current disability.,The Veteran's chronic headache disability is denied. There is no evidence of current headache, bilateral knee, or bilateral ankle disabilities.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence was received to warrant readjudicating the claims for service connection for PTSD, headaches/migraines, knee disabilities, and sinusitis. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a duty-to-assist error. The issues of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee, left knee, diabetes mellitus type II, and sleep apnea are being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's migraine headaches, right knee disability, left great toe disability, and right great toe disability are all granted service connection as they can be presumed to have been incurred in service due to their chronic nature.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's timely substantive appeals were received in response to the March 18, 2019 Statements of the Case. As a result, the appeal is granted for all issues listed.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in development and duty-to-assist issues, as well as potential TDIU claims that were not properly addressed.