Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hip and knee conditions as secondary to service-connected IVDS with lumbar stenosis with DDD due to insufficient medical evidence in the record regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial rating for his right knee disability is being remanded due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records and review the expanded record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions and need for additional evidence. The issues include hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disability, foot disabilities (callouses and bunions), right hip disability, and left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's torn left rotator cuff, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The rating assigned remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's left knee disability was granted a 40% rating from December 22, 2018 to November 17, 2020 for limitation of motion. The right knee disability was denied in excess of 60%. A separate 20% rating was granted for instability.,The Veteran's left knee condition has been rated based on its current severity and not due to any service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination and failure to provide a statement of reasons and bases regarding potentially outstanding relevant records. The Veteran's right knee disability needs to be evaluated again with an adequate examination, and any private treatment records need to be obtained.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee conditions were denied. The rating for the internal derangement with chondromalacia patella, status post meniscectomy was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to February 28, 2008. The rating for degenerative arthritis was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, left knee ACL tear with patellofemoral pain syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome have worsened significantly since his last examinations. He should be reexamined to reassess the severity of these disabilities due to the significant time that has passed since those prior examinations. Additionally, a TDIU claim is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the claims for higher initial ratings for his low back and left and right knee disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for his left knee disability, finding that the evidence did not show limitation of extension to 30 degrees.

Your appeals have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate these claims as they are not about service connection.

The claim of service connection for a right knee disorder is granted, while the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are also granted. The Veteran's current right knee condition is found to be related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability characterized as left meniscal tear, status post meniscectomy and a right knee disability characterized as degenerative arthritis.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension and right knee disorder due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) because of the need for aid and attendance, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him in need of regular aid and assistance.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The case is remanded to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's allergic rhinitis.,Service connection was not granted for right or left knee disabilities as separate ratable entities due to lack of evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for mood disorder, heart disability, and left knee disability was denied.,The Veteran's claim for increased rating of heart disability from April 14, 2010 to October 5, 2013 was denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The issues of service connection for bilateral knee, hip, and shoulder conditions have been remanded.

The Board has remanded both claims of service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for right knee disability due to the need for new examinations and opinions.

The Board denied increased ratings for right knee degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc and joint disease with spinal stenosis, right leg distal tibia and fibula fracture with traumatic arthritis, and right eye diabetic retinopathy.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various lower extremity and back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted, but his other conditions are remanded.