Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted separate 10 percent ratings for painful and limited motion of the right and left knees, but denied higher ratings based on instability. The case is remanded for further development regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition.

The Board has denied service connection for left hip, pelvic, left elbow, and left knee disorders due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining federal employee disability retirement records from OPM.

The Veteran is seeking clothing allowances for knee and back braces due to service-connected disabilities. The Board has granted allowances for the use of left and right knee braces but remanded the issue regarding a back brace.

The Veteran's claims for clothing allowances for specific braces and shoe inserts in 2014 are being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and readjudication due to missing VA treatment records, authorization for private medical records, and a missed scheduled examination. The issues of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent disabling for service-connected right knee patella alta and entitlement to TDIU have been raised.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection for left hip disorder and right knee osteoarthritis. The issues are related to whether these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is required for the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities. The case is being remanded for a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding no evidence of chronic condition in service or within one year after separation from service. The examiner opined that current symptoms are not related to military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral foot and knee conditions, finding that the Veteran's pes planus preexisted service and was not aggravated by in-service activities. The neuropathy of the feet is not related to service, while the knee osteoarthritis is attributed to intercurrent causes.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the right knee disability was aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded three issues: service connection for variegate porphyria, a rating in excess of 40 percent for thoracic spine disability, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee disability. The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and private treatment records not yet obtained.

The Veteran's left and right knee disorders are rated at 30 percent each, effective July 31, 2020.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 10 percent since September 2011. The Board found that a higher evaluation is not warranted and denied the claim for an increased rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the left knee, left knee instability, and total left knee replacement are all denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 30 percent for her total left knee replacement since April 1, 2016.

The Board has granted a separate 10% rating for right knee instability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms of intermittent instability do not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the TDIU issue due to a lack of examination addressing the Veteran's current disability picture and his ability to engage in sedentary employment.

The Veteran's right and left knee conditions have been rated with a 10% rating for limitation of extension, instability, and arthritis. The total knee replacement on the left has also been rated appropriately.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and right knee disabilities, finding that each is causally related to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed. The Board also remanded the matter of entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities prior to December 12, 2019.