Knee Board decisions

The Board remands the claims for service connection for headaches, left ankle arthritic condition, left knee strain, lumbosacral strain, right ankle arthritic condition, right knee strain, sciatica, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a need for additional development of evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability was granted, and the effective date for the award of a 30 percent rating for limited flexion in the left knee was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to the service-connected left ankle disability, an increased rating of 30 percent for the left ankle disability from August 8, 2022, and a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted an effective date of February 7, 2020, for the award of a 70 percent rating for unspecified depressive disorder and TDIU, but denied earlier effective dates for other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hip, knee, and ankle disabilities due to a lack of evidence supporting an in-service injury or continuity of symptomatology. The claim for a psychiatric disorder was also denied as the Veteran's statements were found not credible.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for the left knee instability, limitation of extension, and flexion, as well as for the right long finger disability.

The Board denied service connection for anxiety, depression, joint pains of the hands, a right knee condition, and a left knee condition as there was no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection for a right knee disability and remanded issues related to the left ankle, left knee, and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (r)(2) level due to his service-connected disabilities requiring a higher level of care.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, OSA, GERD, facial scarring, urinary frequency, and left knee degenerative arthritis due to a need for initial VA examinations.

The Veteran was granted a 40 percent rating for his back disability from September 14, 2017 to February 24, 2020 and a 20 percent rating for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy during the same period. The claims for higher ratings were denied for other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability, to include as degenerative arthritis and a meniscal tear, based on the Veteran's in-service participation in intercollegiate gymnastics.

The Board granted service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, a skin rash, and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, shortness of breath, PTSD, OSA, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, knee disabilities, CPS, and earlier effective dates.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including knee and foot conditions, a low back disability, radiculopathy, tinnitus, and a neck condition, to correct pre-decisional errors in fulfilling VA's duty to assist by rescheduling missed examinations.

The Board granted an effective date of January 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee joint osteoarthritis, and right knee total replacement.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of all joints from head to toe, sleep apnea, prostate cancer, high blood pressure, a right knee disability, and a left knee disability as there was no evidence of current diagnoses or etiological relationships to the Veteran's service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disorder with radiculopathy of the lower extremities and bilateral hip and knee disorders due to the need for VA examinations.

The Board denied the claims for earlier effective dates and remanded several service connection claims.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.