Knee Board decisions

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, asthma, joint swelling and stiffness, and a skin condition. However, these claims are denied on the merits.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation before November 26, 2018. His TDIU is granted for this period.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records.

The appeal for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for eye movement spasms and photophobia due to TBI (also claimed as sensitivity to light, nystagmus, and convergence palsy) is dismissed.,The appeal for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine degenerative disc disease with cervical strain (previously rated as cervical strain) is dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for right bicep muscle strain is dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for right elbow disability with weakness in the right hand is dismissed.,The appeals for service connection for right knee and left knee disabilities are remanded.,The appeal for loss of feeling of the right hand is also remanded.

The Board denied service connection for left knee osteoarthritis and right foot disability (claimed as right ankle disability) due to a lack of evidence showing that these conditions began during active service, were related to in-service injuries or diseases, or had continuity of symptoms since service.,While the Veteran reported experiencing knee pain and ankle pain since service, his current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, including instability, are rated at 30 percent each since December 22, 2017. The appeal is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to a lack of adequate examination regarding range of motion and flare-ups.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service injury. Service connection was denied for a right knee disability due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for left hip arthritis, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis and residuals of total knee replacement are granted a 20 percent rating from February 23, 2018, through October 14, 2018, and a 30 percent rating from December 1, 2019. The right knee degenerative arthritis is granted a 20 percent rating from February 23, 2018, to February 3, 2019, with instability rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's lumbar and right knee disabilities are granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.,Service connection for bilateral hip, foot, and ankle disabilities is also granted as secondary to the service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's lumbar disability, right knee disorder (semilunar), and left knee disorder were granted initial ratings of 20 percent each. The effective dates are not specified.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral shin splints, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service. The TDIU claim was also denied as the Veteran had not been found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities prior to March 2019.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is granted, with a specific rating of 40 percent effective from September 5, 2017. The claims for increased ratings for traumatic arthritis of the right knee and right hip strain/femur fracture are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for a psychiatric disorder, right knee condition, and left knee condition due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service records indicate he had sleepwalking issues and alcoholism during service, which may be related to his current mental health conditions and knee pain.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability as the evidence did not show it was incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board's decision is vacated in part due to a procedural error involving the processing of a Privacy Act request, and service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disability are granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for lumbar and heart disabilities, bilateral hearing loss disability. The remaining claims were denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and rating decisions on his service-connected left hip, right knee patellar tendonitis, and right knee instability.

The Veteran's right and left knee degenerative arthritis are currently rated at 10 percent each. The Board has remanded the issues for further development, including determining if service connection can be granted for left hip arthritis as secondary to his knees.