Knee Board decisions

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from June 12, 2011 to October 19, 2015 due to service-connected disabilities that rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left knee DJD resulted in flexion between 45 degrees and 100 degrees, with no evidence of ankylosis. The Board denied a higher initial rating for the period from June 2, 2011 to June 18, 2018 due to lack of compensable disability ratings.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left knee disability, including as secondary to his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability, needs further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a higher rating from November 8, 2004. A TDIU was denied prior to August 16, 2005 and granted thereafter.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability and incomplete service records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a left knee disability, which he contends was caused by running on rocky dirt roads during his deployment in Afghanistan.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, loss of sense of smell and taste, sleep disorder, left knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and left foot disability. The Veteran is to be afforded VA examinations to address the nature, extent, and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease is rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the applicable diagnostic codes. The right knee patellar tendonitis is rated at 10 percent, while the left knee patellar tendonitis is also rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's pinguecula is remanded for further examination to determine its likely cause.,The Veteran's left ankle disability, loss of sensation in the left and right hands, acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety and depressive disorder), left shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability are all remanded as they may be related to his service-connected back disability. The Veteran also has other issues that need examination including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and allergic rhinitis.,The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis based on limitation of flexion and extension is remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee disability, finding that there is no credible evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for a bilateral knee condition is remanded due to insufficient evidence and need for an examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition, bilateral knee disorder, and right foot disorder. The claims are being remanded to obtain missing records from March 1980 and to provide an addendum medical opinion regarding the nature and origin of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a retrospective VA examination to evaluate the Veteran's current disability levels and functional loss from 1979 to present. The issues include increased ratings for low back syndrome, postoperative reconstruction of the left knee, chondromalacia of the right knee, and limitation of extension of the right knee.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disabilities and TDIU due to inadequate examination findings. The case is returned for further action, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent, effective January 25, 2016. The rating for instability of the left knee was granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his right knee disability and clarification regarding his meniscal condition. The TDIU claim is also referred to the Director of Compensation Service.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee chondromalacia patella, status post reconstruction, does not prevent him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for traumatic arthritis of the left knee is denied as there is no evidence of limitation of extension beyond 20 degrees or compensable flexion.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of flexion and 10 percent for meniscal symptoms. The Board denied a higher rating as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 30 degrees or fewer, nor extension limited.

The Veteran's increased ratings for his right knee conditions have been denied. The VA has assigned various disability ratings based on the severity of his symptoms, but these ratings do not meet the criteria for higher evaluations.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee, left knee, and low back conditions due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to active military service.,Service connection was also denied for gastritis, GERD, skin condition, and thyroid condition as there is no medical evidence showing they were incurred or aggravated by service.