Knee Board decisions

The Veteran is granted TDIU for the period from March 1, 2014 to February 15, 2018 due to service-connected disabilities. The issue of TDIU for the period from November 15, 2012 to February 15, 2013 is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 1, 2017.

The Board has granted service connection for a left foot disorder, right foot disorder, and left knee disorder. The Veteran's sinusitis is also considered to have been incurred during her periods of active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for asthma, right knee disability, left knee disability, lower back pain, and left lower extremity pain due to a lack of VA examinations. The appellant contends that his disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for missing VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective date issues related to his right knee disability due to insufficient examination findings. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to assess current range of motion, including during flare-ups prior to July 8, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and recommends additional testing for gouty arthritis of bilateral knees, right foot, and right wrist.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, right knee disorder, and right ankle disorder. The Board found that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,The VA examiner noted that the Veteran’s neck pain began in 1992 after an accident during training exercises, but there were no complaints or diagnoses of a cervical spine condition until 2014.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right ear hearing loss, right knee disability, nasal problems, sleep apnea, respiratory disability (to include asthma and COPD), right upper extremity ulnar neuropathy, left upper extremity ulnar neuropathy, PTSD, and social anxiety due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of clear and unmistakable aggravation.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 30% from December 1, 2020 to the present. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted for any period.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left knee flexion is being remanded due to concerns about the competence of the examiner who provided the most recent medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's service-connected conditions prior to July 21, 2016. The VA examiner is requested to provide an updated opinion on the severity of these conditions and their impact on employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and tinnitus have been granted. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the right knee disorder.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for a left knee scar is denied, and his rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee instability prior to July 7, 2020 is also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for a retrospective opinion on the Veteran's functional impairment due to service-connected disabilities prior to and around February 2012, and for referral of his request for TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) to the Director of Compensation Service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his representation through his authorized representative.

The Veteran's claim for temporary total ratings under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 for a service-connected left knee disability based on convalescence following two surgical procedures in 2013 is denied because his surgeries did not meet the criteria for such ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional VA examinations and treatment records, as well as a review of existing medical evidence.

The Veteran's claims for left knee instability/subluxation, lumbar spine arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome prior to March 15, 2017, and right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy from April 4, 2015 to March 13, 2017 were denied. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy since March 14, 2017 is also denied.