Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The claims for increased ratings of his left and right knee disabilities are denied.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability and denied an increased rating for degenerative disc disease (DDD) and spondylosis of the lumbar spine.,There is no evidence linking the Veteran's current left knee or lumbar spine disabilities to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, specifically focusing on the right knee disability prior to June 17, 2010, and the TDIU claim from August 13, 2015. The case is being referred to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of extraschedular TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for left hip and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not establish a causal relationship between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for a back disability and left knee disability, as well as the claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The AOJ should ensure compliance with previous remand directives and adjudicate the neck disability within the AMA framework.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disorders, as well as a left hip disorder, are being remanded due to the need for additional development including medical examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during active service, and for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his lung condition.

The Veteran's right knee disorder, postoperative residuals of right inguinal hernia, and surgical scar, status-post right inguinal hernia repair, are all granted with respective ratings. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability.,The Veteran's respiratory issues with shortness of breath/difficulty breathing when exercising were denied due to lack of service connection and insufficient medical evidence linking the conditions to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim has been granted on a presumptive basis due to noise exposure in service.,Service connection for left knee and right knee disorders is being remanded as new evidence was submitted after the previous denial.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically his left knee/lower extremity and back disabilities, are found to render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU claim with resolution of reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's left knee laxity and limitation of flexion are now rated at 20% each, while his left knee dislocated semilunar cartilage is rated at 20%. The Veteran also received a TDIU rating prior to December 15, 2011.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings for left hip strain with limitation of extension and right knee strain, as well as a TDIU claim. The reasons are due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's initial increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities have been granted, with specific details provided regarding the nature of each disability. A separate rating has also been granted for osteoarthritis of the right knee with limitation of motion from July 27, 2020. The issue of a temporary total disability rating following a total left knee replacement is moot as it was essentially addressed in the grant of increased ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for an effective date earlier than October 25, 2010, for the award of a TDIU and for the establishment of basic eligibility for DEA benefits. The AOJ is instructed to issue an SSOC addressing these matters.

The Board denied compensation for a cervical spine disability and left knee arthritis under 38 C.F.R. § 1151 as no additional disabilities were found to have resulted from the July 2008 fall.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the inextricably intertwined issue of increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities. The VA will address these issues before making a final decision on the TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for a sinus disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral foot disability. However, the Board denied service connection for a thyroid disability as there is no evidence of any endocrine disorder in service.

The Veteran's initial noncompensable ratings for limitation of right hip flexion, extension, and impairment of the right thigh were granted. For the period from August 27, 2015 forward, a compensable (10%) rating was assigned for limitation of right hip flexion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions due to a significant increase in weight and obesity, which are not disabilities for VA benefits. The claims will be reconsidered with an addendum medical opinion addressing whether the service-connected bilateral foot disability caused or aggravated the Veteran's weight gain and obesity.