Knee Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee DJD as the evidence did not establish a link to military service. The claim of secondary service connection was also denied due to lack of a causal relationship between the right leg disability and the knee condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to address the nature and etiology of any additional residual disability caused by several left knee surgeries, including pain, swelling, infection, and permanent numbness.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and right hand/wrist condition due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran contends his conditions are related to service, but VA examiners have found no direct link.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right knee osteoarthritis have been rated at 10 percent each since April 6, 2012. The Board has granted separate ratings of 10 percent for instability in the knees, effective from April 6, 2012. For internal hemorrhoids, a noncompensable rating remains valid.

The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of extension, and a separate rating of 20 percent for moderate instability has been granted. Both his left and right ankle disabilities are now rated at 20 percent each.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and VA examination reports. The claims for TDIU and psychiatric disorder are dismissed as withdrawn.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent for degenerative joint disease and a separate 10 percent rating for instability. The appeal for an increased rating remains pending.,Service connection for the low back condition and acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and insomnia) is remanded due to incomplete information regarding service connection criteria.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and insomnia, may be related to Gulf War service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability is proximately due or caused by his service-connected right knee and lower back disabilities.

The Veteran's initial rating claim for left knee chondromalacia status post arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy with scar is remanded due to lack of range-of-motion measurements. The service connection claim for bilateral foot disorder is also remanded as the VA examiner’s opinion was inadequate.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disability is caused or aggravated by their service-connected left hip and back disabilities. The Veteran contends that their current right knee disability was caused by a landmine incident during active duty in Vietnam.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding no evidence of current disability related to service or service-connected conditions.,Service connection was also denied for atrophy, left kidney with cyst, as it is considered a congenital defect that pre-existed service.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and instability was denied. A separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability is granted, but the TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, including concerns about the adequacy of previous examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis was granted a 30% rating effective January 16, 2014. The appeal for higher ratings prior to that date and from May 25, 2019 onwards is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to January 6, 2020 due to service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim is being referred to VA’s Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability due to inadequate VA examinations. The claim for sleep apnea is also remanded.

The Veteran's right and left knee chondromalacia have been rated as 20% and 10% disabling, respectively. The Board found that ratings in excess of these percentages are not warranted due to the limited range of motion.,Noncompensable ratings for limitation of extension were granted effective November 19, 2015, for the right knee, and September 11, 2017, for the left knee.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathies, as well as right and left knee disorders. The Veteran's claim is being reviewed to determine if earlier effective dates are warranted.

The Veteran's left knee instability is rated at a noncompensable rating prior to March 6, 2017, and a compensable rating thereafter. The Veteran was granted an initial 70 percent rating for PTSD.,PTSD symptoms include disturbances of mood, irritability, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, and diminished ability to maintain relationships.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee, back, and TBI disabilities on a secondary basis. Service connection is also granted for his right hip, left hip, and sinus disabilities, but not for his right eye or kidney disabilities.