Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, finding that his current knee conditions are related to in-service repetitive low crawl exercises and subsequent wear and tear over a long period of time.

The Board has remanded the claims due to lack of substantial compliance with previous directives and legal inadequacies in the VA examiners' opinions. The claims are now pending for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to her death. The claims for service connection and a higher rating are moot.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted to the extent that new and material evidence has been received. The appeals for left hip, right hip, left ankle, back, and left knee conditions remain pending.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for chronic lumbosacral strain and left knee chondromalacia patella has been remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, back disability, and obstructive sleep apnea. The conditions are deemed to be related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and to obtain relevant medical records. The issues include seeking higher ratings for service-connected disabilities, determining the nature of a claimed traumatic brain injury, and evaluating the impact on TDIU.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of 10 percent and 20 percent for right knee and shoulder disabilities, respectively. As a result, the claims are dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral knee condition. The Veteran seeks service connection for his current left knee condition and pre-existing right knee condition that allegedly worsened during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee arthritis, as well as his claim for a TDIU prior to May 1, 2018. The remand is due to issues raised in a Joint Motion for Remand (JMR) that involve additional functional loss during flare-ups and following repetitive use over time.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and initial rating of PTSD, as well as the issues related to right knee and foot disabilities due to incomplete development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology and whether they are related to service or aggravated by his service-connected left gastrocnemius strain.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and right shoulder disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their onset during or related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's right knee DJD resulted in painful limitation of motion from March 8, 2017 through July 7, 2020. A staged higher initial disability rating of 10 percent for the service-connected limitation of motion due to right knee DJD is granted. The issue of a separate compensable disability rating for instability of the right knee is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected right knee disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent under DC 5260 or 20 percent under DC 5257, and that he is already receiving the maximum available rating under DC 5258.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service-connected right and left knee meniscal tears warrant a remand for further evaluation due to worsening symptoms since his last VA examination in April 2019.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee pain, right knee pain, and lower abdominal pain due to outstanding internal VA treatment records that need to be located and obtained. The case will also require a new VA examination for his bilateral knees and an opinion addressing whether his lower abdominal pain is related to active service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left knee strain/meniscal tear with osteoarthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and assessment of functional impairment.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, including his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.