Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with effective dates of May 21, 2018. The RO also assigned a disability rating of 40 percent for mechanical low back pain with lumbosacral strain, degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine, and intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability is remanded due to the lack of VA treatment records and difficulty in obtaining her service records.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding the severity and frequency of the Veteran's service-connected right hip strain, lumbar strain, and right knee strain.

The Veteran's left knee disability, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and insomnia are all granted as secondary to service-connected conditions. The claim for anxiety disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service or pain from service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for higher ratings for right knee and middle finger disabilities due to inadequate examinations in previous decisions. The Veteran needs new VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions, specifically regarding pain during motion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability was reopened and granted. The claims for increased ratings for left knee strain with degenerative arthritis, right hip strain, and lumbar spine disability were denied. The TDIU claim was granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess the severity of her left knee disability. The maximum schedular rating for sinusitis has already been assigned, and thus a higher rating is not available.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted on an extraschedular basis beginning May 6, 2011. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since then.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and readjudication due to outstanding Social Security Administration (SSA) records that need to be obtained.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and will be reconsidered. The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral syndrome disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right knee disabilities from August 10, 2010 to January 22, 2013 were denied as the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee laxity or osteoarthritis with limitation of flexion. A separate 20 percent rating was granted for limited extension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various joint disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions and the need for updated treatment records.

The issues of service connection for right lower extremity sciatica, left lower extremity sciatica, hearing loss (right ear), a right knee disability, and hypertension have been dismissed. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for additional development due to inadequate examination reports and other issues.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis and left leg neuropathy, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his right knee disability prior to September 12, 2011 and from November 1, 2012 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis prior to September 12, 2011 or a rating in excess of 30 percent after November 1, 2012.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 30 percent since January 9, 2019. The appeal is denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating for any of the issues raised.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for her left upper arm disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbosacral spine disability, and left knee disability due to lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and her military service. The appeals are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a right hip replacement as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities, including traumatic arthritis and meniscus tear.