Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee medial meniscal tear, status post meniscectomy is related to his in-service injuries and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right wrist and bilateral knee disabilities are related to his active duty service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's left knee instability and arthritis have been granted ratings, with the instability receiving a separate rating of 10 percent.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claims for service connection for right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities. The new evidence submitted since the May 2001 denial confirms that the Veteran currently suffers from these conditions.,The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities due to insufficient medical opinion in the July 2014 VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination for left knee arthritis, and a new examination is needed to determine the current severity of the disability.

The Board denied the reopening of claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and left knee disability, to include as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability. The Board found that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions, and that any current disabilities are not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has dismissed the claim of service connection for a left knee disability as it was resolved by granting service connection in a previous rating decision.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his chronic lumbar strain and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for the lumbar strain, as it did not meet the criteria for such a rating based on limitation of motion or other factors. For the TDIU claim, the Veteran's combined disability rating had already reached 100% due to his service-connected disabilities, including cervical radiculopathy and left knee instability, which precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his claimed conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, intestinal problems, joint pain, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, right knee condition, left knee condition, lower back condition, and residuals of a rib injury on the left side.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his knees due to a lack of clarity in some evidence and an apparent misunderstanding by a VA clinician.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria and there was insufficient evidence to find that he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his conditions, as the previous examination did not comply with Correia v. McDonald and does not account for recent worsening.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for headaches prior to November 21, 2020 was denied as the evidence did not indicate very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for cervical spine disability prior to November 21, 2020 was denied as the evidence did not indicate incapacitating episodes or forward flexion less than 15 degrees.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to TDIU and SMC based on housebound status due to pending development for Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The claims will be reconsidered after the development is completed.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder and major depressive disorder, is granted service connection. The issues of entitlement to service connection for OSA, kidney stones, type 2 diabetes mellitus, a back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and disability ratings for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, left knee issues, PTSD, TMJ, tinea versicolor, hemorrhoids, GERD, and pseudofolliculitis barbae.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee and low back disabilities, as secondary to a service-connected left leg amputation below the knee. The remand requires obtaining additional medical opinions to address whether these conditions are aggravated by the service-connected condition.