Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and right knee osteoarthritis, status-post total knee replacement. The conditions are deemed to have resulted from the Veteran's activities and injuries during active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss from April 25, 2019 to July 24, 2019 was denied as the Veteran failed to report for a VA examination scheduled in conjunction with his claim.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for scars, status-post left knee arthroscopy for the period from April 25, 2019 to July 24, 2019 was denied as there were no other disabling effects not considered under Diagnostic Codes 7800-04.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are proximately due to service and/or service-connected disability, granting his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the issues of right knee instability and right knee surgical scars status post meniscectomy for further adjudication due to inconsistencies in the effective dates assigned.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain medical opinions regarding service connection, rating criteria, and range of motion measurements.

The Board has remanded four issues: right knee disability, left knee disability, high blood pressure, and a gynecological disability (PCOS). The Veteran's claims are being reviewed due to the inadequacy of previous VA examinations and the need for new opinions on service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, neck, right knee, and left ankle disorders should be remanded due to incomplete records and need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings based on limitation of flexion and extension of his right knee due to an October 2016 VA examination not addressing Correia v. McDonald criteria, and finding no objective evidence of instability.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear dates of service and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's bilateral knee condition is being reviewed for potential service connection.

The Board has found that the Veteran's right knee disability, status post total knee replacement, has been manifested by prosthetic replacement of the knee joint with severe painful motion, stiffness, intermittent swelling, and interference with standing and walking. The maximum schedular rating (60 percent) for a right knee disability under Diagnostic Code 5055 is already assigned. Therefore, an increased disability rating in excess of 60 percent for the right knee disability from December 1, 2019 forward is not warranted.

The Board denied a higher evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected left knee strain with degenerative joint disease, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome due to a lack of recent VA examinations.

The Veteran's heart disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a pre-existing condition prior to his death.,The Veteran's left knee disorder is remanded for additional development due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA examination.,The Veteran's hypertension is remanded because the medical opinion did not adequately address whether it was caused by or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus and/or herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's kidney disorder is remanded as there is no evidence of a pre-existing condition prior to his death.,The Veteran's thyroid disorder is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA opinion regarding its relationship with service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period prior to May 25, 2012 is denied because he was employed full-time until that date and did not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's left ankle disability is granted a 20 percent rating throughout the appeal period, while his left knee disability and instability are denied higher ratings. The decision also grants separate 10 percent ratings for left knee instability.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with occasional decreases in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, warranting a 10% rating prior to November 28, 2018. A 30% rating was granted beginning from that date.,For the period before April 11, 2016, the Veteran's right ankle sprain with degenerative joint disease resulted in occupational and social impairment warranting a 10% rating. For the period after April 11, 2016, his condition warranted a 20% rating.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are granted with a 10% rating prior to April 16, 2019. Ratings for the right wrist, left ankle, left ear hearing loss, costochondritis-mid sternal (chest pain), and unspecified depressive disorder remain denied.,Service connection for heartburn and gastrointestinal disability is remanded.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent, and a separate rating of 10 percent for instability is granted. The Veteran is now rated at 70 percent for PTSD from November 24, 2016, with entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the current conditions are related to in-service injuries.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, the highest rating available based on pain alone. The Board finds that his knees do not meet criteria for a higher rating due to lack of additional loss of range of motion.