Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right and left knee are granted as service-connected. The cardiovascular condition is denied.,Service connection for a heart condition is not established.

The Veteran's asthma with bronchitis is rated at a 30 percent disability rating. The Board has found an increased evaluation for the Veteran’s asthma with bronchitis is not warranted. The left knee, diverticulitis, and chronic kidney disease claims are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent, and tinea versicolor is rated at 30 percent. Both conditions are denied for higher ratings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as sinusitis with aggravation of hay fever or rhinitis, are granted.,Service connection is established for bilateral knee conditions (left and right) due to the presumption that such conditions may be related to active duty. The claim for sinusitis is also granted based on a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has determined that effective dates earlier than the assigned ones cannot be granted for various claims due to lack of evidence showing an increase in disability within one year prior to the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and the need for further examination. The Veteran's right knee disability is being reviewed in relation to his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in the medical evidence, specifically regarding the range of motion and instability of the Veteran's right knee. The VA is instructed to obtain additional records and arrange for an adequate examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted and rendered moot due to the grant of service connection for right ankle disorder in April 2020. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for chondromalacia of the left and right knees due to a lack of clear and unmistakable evidence that the condition existed prior to service entrance.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for disability compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bilateral above the knee amputations, finding that the additional disability was not caused by VA negligence or lack of proper skill and was not an event reasonably foreseeable.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee arthritis and residuals of a partial meniscectomy due to outstanding VA treatment records and regulatory changes in rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for multilevel lumbar degenerative disc disease and joint disease with myofascial pain and scoliosis is dismissed. The claim for service connection of arachnoid cyst is denied, while the claim for a higher initial rating for left knee degenerative joint disease with chondrocalcinosis is granted with a 10% rating effective July 9, 2009, and a separate 10% rating for right knee instability is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded three issues related to the Veteran's right knee disability, including rating for ligamentous strain prior to August 22, 2013 and instability since that date. The missing private treatment records are noted as a reason for remand.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left knee osteoarthritis prior to January 29, 2020 and since that date have been denied. The medical evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis. The rating assigned is 30 percent, effective August 27, 2013. The claim for an initial compensable rating for tinea pedis was denied.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, as well as his claim for TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for a left leg disability, including meralgia paresthetica and left knee strain, finding the preponderance of evidence against a link to active service.,The Board also denied service connection for right patellofemoral syndrome, concluding there was no in-service injury or disease that could be linked to the current condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and oral ulcers have been remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of her service-connected left pelvic, right foot, and right knee disabilities were denied by the Board. The appeals were remanded multiple times due to issues with VA examinations and compliance with previous directives.