Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for uterine fibroids and right knee disability were denied. The rating for the right knee was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to March 15, 2010 or from May 1, 2011 onwards.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his active military service.,Service connection was also remanded for migraine headaches and left hip and knee disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral knee disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The appeal as to whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the previously-denied claims for right knee DJD, rhinitis (claimed as sinus problems), skin disorder, bilateral hearing loss, high cholesterol, prostate condition, urinary incontinence, high blood pressure, and residuals of TBI is dismissed.,The appeal as to whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the previously-denied claim for left knee DJD, headaches, sleep apnea, and ED is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for neck disability, back condition, bilateral knee condition, right hip condition, and migraines due to additional development. The claims are being remanded for VA examinations to determine the current disabilities and their etiology.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU rating from September 18, 2013 due to his service-connected disabilities. Prior to this date, the combined disability rating did not meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination that complies with previous Board directives.

The Board denied service connection for gastrointestinal, left knee, and right knee disabilities. The Board also remanded the cases of left leg and right leg disabilities due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since September 2, 2008.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED) as proximately due to his service-connected cerebrovascular accident (CVA) residuals. The issue of a higher rating for right knee disability is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and acquired psychiatric disability do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as he has experience in sedentary work such as teaching computer skills and medical assistant training.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of August 2, 2017.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis prior to December 11, 2014 was not rated higher than 10 percent due to limited flexion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent, as her flexion is limited to at most 105 degrees and extension remains full.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, respiratory disability (claimed as collapsed left lung), cardiovascular disability (claimed as high blood pressure and increased heart rate), right knee disability, left knee disability, left chest scar, and unspecified depressive disorder.,The Veteran's claims for these conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as PTSD and major depression, is granted with a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to June 25, 2019, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter. Service connection for vertigo, TBI residuals, and left hip disorder are also granted. However, service connection for the left knee disorder remains denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's right knee strain is caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee meniscus degeneration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, right knee disorder, and bilateral foot disorder on a secondary basis to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that there was no evidence of chronicity following separation from active military service and attributing his current condition to post-service employment.