Knee Board decisions

The Board dismissed the appeal for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for depression and anxiety disorders, PTSD with depression and anxiety, low back disorder, neck/cervical spine disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction. The decision on these issues is based on their merits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that it is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected right knee arthritis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee condition, left knee condition, and low back condition due to lack of evidence showing in-service injury or chronic disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including her acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, and back disability, have rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from April 19, 2010, to May 3, 2020. The Board has granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for left knee degenerative arthritis prior to September 16, 2020, and reopening of claim for total left knee replacement.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his back condition is denied, as the evidence does not show that his disability warrants a rating in excess of 40 percent. The Veteran's left knee condition has also been rated at 10 percent and remains unchanged.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, including private treatment records and VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of left foot disorder, right foot disorder, headaches, and right knee disorder due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has dismissed all claims of service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities need further examination and evaluation to determine their current severity, especially regarding functional loss during flare-ups. The case is being sent back for these evaluations.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to incomplete records and requests for employment information.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left knee disorder and TDIU claim, specifically because no VA examiner provided an opinion addressing the Veteran’s reports of ongoing pain since service.

The Board has remanded two issues related to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities due to a need for additional development, including an updated VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating, finding no evidence of a relationship between his claimed conditions and service. The right knee condition is currently rated at 10%.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the Board finds that his conditions do not warrant higher ratings for PTSD, lumbar spine DDD, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, knee DJD, shoulder DJD, ankle DJD, elbow tendonitis, or foot plantar fasciitis.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his left knee disability and any acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful employment, so the TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, bowel and bladder dysfunction, hip impairments, ankle strains, flat feet, knee limitations of flexion, shoulder disability, elbow bursitis/limitation of flexion, and tension headaches have been granted. The Veteran also received increased ratings for his right hip impairment and limitation of extension as well as a 60 percent rating for his lumbar spine disability effective November 13, 2014.

The Board has granted a 20 percent disability evaluation for left knee instability and denied increased evaluations for osteoarthritis of the left knee with limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding functional loss during flare-ups and repetitive use. The Veteran is seeking a higher disability rating for his left knee strain.