Knee Board decisions

The Board denied increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the right knee, left knee, and degenerative changes of the lumbar spine prior to April 25, 2019.

The Veteran is granted TDIU based on service-connected disabilities from October 19, 2006 and TDIU based on depressive disorder alone from October 25, 2019.,Effective October 25, 2019, the Veteran also receives SMC at the housebound rate due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities as they are considered current disabilities that began during active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee and left shoulder disabilities due to incomplete records, including STRs not reviewed by the RO. The Veteran is diagnosed with osteoarthritis of both her left knee and left shoulder that she asserts are related to in-service injuries. Additional medical opinions are needed based on new evidence.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a left wrist ganglion cyst and denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee strain.

The Veteran's TBI with PTSD is granted a total rating, and his left eye recurrent corneal erosions, painful motion of the left knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome), GERD, and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine are all granted increased ratings. The Veteran’s tendon strain of the right fifth finger remains remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and right hip disabilities, finding that the VA examinations were inadequate and did not address all relevant factors.

The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected left knee disability prior to May 19, 2015 and 40 percent thereafter, service connection for a low back disability, to include as secondary to service-connected left knee disability, and service connection for a right knee disability, to include as secondary to service-connected left knee disability. The TDIU claim has also been added to the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's preexisting right knee disorder was aggravated by his periods of active service in June-July 1964 and January-February 1967. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee instability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms do not warrant such a higher rating based on slight instability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and no continuity of symptomatology. The Board also found that the current degenerative changes to the Veteran's right knee did not manifest within one year of separation from active duty.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, finding that the evidence did not show arthritis with involvement of two or more major joints, ankylosis, subluxation, lateral instability, or impairment of the tibia or fibula.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings of his migraine headaches, chronic low back strain, and retropatellar pain syndrome, left knee with mild degenerative joint disease is remanded due to the need for further examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his back disability. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran had current left knee or back disabilities, and the preponderance of the evidence was against both claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee degenerative joint disease and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, including a request for an addendum opinion from the October 2019 VA examiner regarding weight-bearing range of motion testing.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, a disability manifested by frequent urination, left leg shin splints, right leg shin splints, and right and/or left knee disabilities due to outstanding medical questions.

The Veteran's claim for a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is granted, with the exception of his right knee and back issues which are remanded. The Veteran also has higher ratings for his mechanical low back syndrome and limitation of flexion of the right knee.

The Board has found that the VA's reliance on a medical board evaluation and a VA medical opinion was in error, and remanded for further examination. The Veteran is presumed sound upon entry into service, but the presumption can be rebutted by clear and unmistakable evidence of preexistence and non-aggravation during service. A new VA examination is needed to determine if there is clear and unmistakable evidence that the left knee disability existed prior to service or was aggravated beyond its natural progression.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, nerve condition of the bilateral lower extremities, bilateral knee disability, gouty arthritis, and diabetes mellitus type II (DM). The only issue not related to service connection was sickle cell trait.,Service connection was denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain medical evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities, specifically during flare-ups and in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing positions. The issues remain in appellate status.