Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period prior to May 31, 2016 due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is presumed via PACT Act.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of service connection for a joint pain disability other than of the thoracolumbar spine, bilateral knees, or right hand is remanded due to inadequate examination and compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disabilities, including instability, degenerative arthritis, and internal derangement, were not incurred in or related to his military service.

The Veteran's initial claims for increased ratings for his right knee and ankle disabilities have been denied. The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) has remanded the TDIU claim, which is pending on remand.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting opinions and a need for further development regarding the Veteran's left knee strain.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate April 2019 VA examination, which did not adequately address whether the Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to outstanding medical records and scanned VistA Imaging records.

The Veteran's service connection claim for unspecified trauma-and stressor-related disorder is granted.,Service connection claims for other knee, back, nerve, and skin conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability was denied prior to November 13, 2012 and from January 1, 2013 through September 23, 2013. Since then, he has been granted a 30 percent rating since November 1, 2014.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted for the Veteran's neck and left knee disabilities did not adequately comply with the remand directives. Therefore, addendum VA medical opinions are required to determine if the Veteran's disabilities were caused or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee recurrent subluxation have been denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee recurrent subluxation and a rating in excess of 20 percent for his left knee recurrent subluxation prior to October 29, 2019.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a bilateral knee condition due to inadequate examination and lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous instructions and a need for a retrospective medical opinion regarding the Veteran's work capacity prior to July 28, 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee degenerative arthritis and instability have been rated at the lowest possible evaluation (10%) since August 1, 2004. The Board has determined that these evaluations are not adequate to reflect the severity of his disabilities.

The Veteran's left total knee replacement is rated at a 60 percent disability rating since May 1, 2019. The appeal for increased ratings was granted.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's initial hip disability (superimposed arthritis) is rated at 10 percent, but an increased rating of 30 percent for limitation of extension is granted.

The Veteran's left knee medial meniscectomy residuals are currently rated as 10 percent disabling, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to his symptoms and current range of motion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and thoracolumbar spine disability, rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to January 21, 2014. The Board granted a TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as the Board did not adequately address his work history and employment status, which could affect his eligibility for a TDIU. The case will be referred to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's right knee instability disability is rated at 20 percent effective March 3, 2021. The other conditions of limitation of flexion and extension have not met the criteria for higher initial ratings.