Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to May 4, 2008.

The appeal of the claim for service connection for a right foot disability is dismissed. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PFB, left foot disability, hypertension, headache disability, and right knee and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee strains, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active military service.

The Veteran's lumbar strain has been granted a 20 percent evaluation, effective February 21, 2017. The Board also remanded several service connection claims for further review.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were addressed. The left knee degenerative arthritis was granted a 10% rating, the right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome prior to September 18, 2019 was granted a 20% rating, and the right knee instability prior to September 25, 2020 was granted a 10% rating. The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings beyond these dates were denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral knee disabilities and basal cell carcinoma due to procedural issues.

The Board granted a separate 30 percent rating for instability of the right knee prior to July 12, 2013 and a 60 percent rating for status post total right knee replacement from September 1, 2014. The Veteran's arthritis and strain with limitation of motion were not rated higher than 10 percent prior to July 12, 2013.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including his anterior cruciate ligament tear and residual scars from surgery, is currently rated at 20 percent effective May 28, 2015. A separate rating of 10 percent for limited motion has been granted since May 28, 2014.,A compensable rating for right knee surgical scars was denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability, diagnosed as left knee arthritis, was caused by his service-connected right knee disability. The Board granted service connection for the left knee disability but denied a rating greater than 10 percent for residuals of right knee arthroscopy and meniscal tear.

The Board has denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic disease or injury in service that led to current disabilities.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including chondromalacia and a meniscal tear, is currently rated as 30 percent for lateral instability. The rating remains unchanged despite the Veteran's complaints of pain and difficulty with daily activities.

The Veteran's right wrist tendonitis is rated at 10 percent, but the Board denied an increased rating. The claims for service connection of her right and left knee disabilities were also denied as there was no evidence that these conditions began in service or are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for neck, shoulder, back, hip, and sleep apnea disabilities due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee patellofemoral syndrome and instability of the right knee were denied. The Board found that a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative changes was not warranted prior to February 12, 2015, and a rating in excess of 30 percent thereafter is also not warranted. A rating in excess of 20 percent for instability of the right knee since February 12, 2015, is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral flat feet and left knee disability as additional development is needed to determine if his conditions were aggravated by service, and to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the severity of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s)(1) is granted, as he meets the criteria with a combined rating of 100 percent due to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to new evidence received since the last decisions. The AOJ will review this additional evidence and issue a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions, including chondromalacia of the knees, hypothyroidism, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and sleep apnea. The issues have been withdrawn from the legacy appeal system in favor of a modernized review.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for left knee conditions due to a lack of compliance with VA examination requirements in the previous decision.