Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, increased rating for left knee disability, and initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss due to insufficient information provided by Joint Service Records Research Center (JSSRC) regarding the claimed in-service stressors. The Veteran is also required to undergo a new VA examination for his left knee disability and right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of bilateral knees is not service-connected, as there is no evidence to support a link between his military service and the condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and opinions regarding ionizing radiation exposure during service. The Veteran's bilateral ankle, knee, hip, and low back disabilities are related to his active service, including ionizing radiation exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, but the issues of secondary service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an increased rating for left knee disability are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for SMC based on housebound status, finding that he did not meet the criteria for SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) prior to November 29, 2014 due to his service-connected disabilities and lack of substantial confinement.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to failure to obtain requested medical opinions and compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's right humerus disability was noted at entrance to service and preexisted service. The Board denied service connection for this condition.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's pilonidal cyst, as it is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee degenerative joint disease due to insufficient evidence under the new rating criteria. The case is being returned for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, bilateral knee and hip disabilities, prevented him from securing or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 1, 2010. The Board granted the TDIU on an extraschedular basis starting from January 1, 2010.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from December 12, 2018 to April 6, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has found that remand is necessary to obtain new medical opinions regarding the service connection of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, as they are related to his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence and concluding that his left knee condition is not related to his right hip degenerative joint disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development, including obtaining outstanding medical records and providing an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disability is secondary to his service-connected left knee DJD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with new medical opinions addressing direct and secondary service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right knee strain with arthritis and meniscal tear are currently rated at 10 percent each, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Codes 5260 (flexion) and 5261 (extension).,The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee scars are not compensably disabling.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder disorder, low back disorder, and left knee disorder due to lack of medical evidence addressing the etiology of his current symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, left hip, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate January 2016 VA examination findings. The hypertension claim is also remanded as no explanation was provided regarding whether medications taken for service-connected disability caused an increase in blood pressure.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed for the right knee rating claim. The PTSD and left knee disorder claims are granted, but the right shoulder injury claim is denied. The Board has reopened the service connection claims for PTSD and left knee disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a left knee disability due to inadequate opinions and requires an independent medical expert (IME) opinion.