Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ear hearing loss are granted as service connection due to in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is remanded for further review.,The Veteran's sleep disorder claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to incomplete compliance with prior remand instructions. The appeal is also remanded for a new VA examination considering the newly amended musculoskeletal rating criteria, and for issuance of a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service complaints. However, it denied service connection for a skin disability due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a right knee disability due to insufficient evidence regarding her current condition and its relation to service. The Veteran was diagnosed with patellofemoral syndrome in 1988 during active duty, but there is no clear medical opinion linking her current disabilities to this diagnosis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability prior to October 7, 2020. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of TDIU prior to this date and grants the claim.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at a 20 percent rating as of February 9, 2015. The Veteran's left knee and leg disability is granted an initial rating of 20 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee, lumbar spine, and related disabilities precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment as of July 14, 2011. The case is remanded for further development regarding TDIU prior to that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and a gunshot wound to the right knee, do not render him unemployable. The Board finds that he is capable of performing sedentary work such as clerical or office tasks.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as they are not severe enough to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for right knee total arthroplasty is denied as of May 1, 2017. Ratings for limitation of extension and flexion are also denied prior to May 1, 2017. A separate 30 percent rating for instability is denied prior to May 1, 2017.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, but his right ankle disability does not warrant an extraschedular rating. The claims for sleep apnea and entitlement to an extraschedular TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including back, bilateral hip, right and left knee, and bilateral hand disabilities. The reasons include insufficient evidence to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy and remanded the issue of service connection for a left knee disability.

The Veteran's left knee arthritis and total knee arthroplasty have been rated, but the Board has found that additional development is needed for issues related to his left knee instability.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and VistA images. The Veteran will need new VA examinations for his mesangiopathic glomerulopathy, bilateral knee disabilities, and thoracic spine disability.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a right knee disability, low back disability, and right ankle disability due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are now pending before VA for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right-knee condition and a right-hand condition due to inadequate examinations in October 2020. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical records, including Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and undergo VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for loss of sense of smell and right knee disability. The other issues are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee, and erectile dysfunction due to a lack of evidence showing an increase in severity during service or any other causal relationship.