Knee Board decisions

All initial ratings of 10 percent for left and right foot plantar fasciitis, low back disability, and right shoulder disability are granted from November 1, 2007. The rating of 10 percent for the right knee disability is also granted.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent from November 1, 2007 to April 25, 2016 and then dropped back down to 10 percent after that date.

The Board has denied service connection for left knee and right knee disabilities, including arthritis. The cervical spine disability issue is remanded due to lack of a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's right knee disability is being remanded for a new examination to assess its current severity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render them unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

Service connection is granted for left knee arthritis and OSA, with the latter being secondary to PTSD.,Hypertension service connection is denied due to lack of a nexus between current condition and service.

The Board dismissed the appeal of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability due to the death of the appellant.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, hip, and low back disabilities, finding that they were not incurred or aggravated during active duty service. The Board also found no link between these conditions and his service-connected right leg fracture.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Service connection for left shoulder disability is denied due to lack of in-service injury or disease and the absence of continuity of symptomatology since separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for right knee limitation of extension was denied, but the Board granted a separate 20 percent rating for right knee lateral instability as of September 23, 2005.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee conditions, including degenerative arthritis and tendinitis, are related to service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his condition had its onset during service or is related to service.,Claims for increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative arthritis with shin splints are denied. The Veteran’s knees have never been shown to meet the criteria for higher than 10 percent ratings under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261.,A separate 10 percent rating is granted for left knee instability effective July 8, 2019.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee condition is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the November 2018 VA examination in addressing functional loss and flare-ups.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities on a substitution basis, finding that there was no evidence linking the disabilities to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder and degenerative disc syndrome, have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Veteran's duodenal ulcer and skin disability are rated at 20 percent, while his right ankle, left ankle, and left knee disabilities are each rated at 10 percent. The appeal is denied for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to consider pertinent evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as his requests for increased ratings for residual scars of forearm stab wound, were denied. The Veteran was granted separate noncompensable ratings for the right forearm scar effective May 27, 2014, and a compensable rating (10%) for the right forearm muscle injury associated with the residual scars from that date. He also received a compensable rating (30%) for his right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with the residual scars. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for DJD of the left thigh, thoracolumbar spine, knee, and shoulder is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and his service-connected disabilities.,Service connection for psoriatic arthritis is also being remanded as there are insufficient medical opinions addressing its onset or relation to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations. The issues include nausea, right hip pain, left hip pain, right elbow pain, left elbow pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, right wrist pain, left wrist pain, and right shoulder pain with tendonitis.

The Veteran's claims for extraschedular ratings for left and right knee chondromalacia, as well as a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, were denied. The Board found that the available schedular evaluations adequately described his disability level and symptomatology.