Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and chondromalacia of the left knee, limitation of extension, are restored to their previous ratings. The cervical strain issue is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's left knee extension disability was rated as noncompensable from December 6, 2013 to April 10, 2019. A 30 percent rating for the condition is granted starting from April 10, 2019. Additionally, a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding service connection for essential tremors/Parkinson's Disease and increased rating for diabetes mellitus, type II (DMII).,Service connection for bilateral knee arthritis is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is not productive of total occupational and social impairment, resulting in a denial of an initial rating in excess of 70 percent.,Service connection for sleep apnea cannot be established due to the absence of a diagnosis. The claim is remanded for a new opinion regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's bilateral knee arthralgia claims are remanded for a new examination as the November 2019 VA examination was inadequate.,The Veteran's bilateral ankle arthralgia claims are also remanded for a new examination due to inconsistencies in the November 2019 VA examination report.,TDIU is remanded as the Veteran has not submitted an application for TDIU.

The Board has restored the 60 percent ratings for total right knee arthroplasty and total left knee replacement associated with internal derangement with degenerative changes, as the reduction was improper due to lack of improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Veteran's initial ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left knee degenerative arthritis, and left ankle degenerative arthritis have been denied. A separate rating of 10 percent has been granted for instability secondary to service-connected left ankle and left knee conditions.

The Board has dismissed the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability due to the Veteran's withdrawal. The issues of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea (secondary to PTSD), seborrheic keratosis, and low back disability are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded due to the need for additional development. The denial of her requests for higher ratings remains unchanged.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, finding no evidence to support a diagnosis or relationship with military service. The claim for reopening of service connection for lumbar spine disability was granted due to new and material evidence.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder, along with other service-connected conditions, has resulted in a 70 percent disability rating since September 2, 2016. The Board also granted TDIU based on the Veteran's inability to maintain substantial gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disabilities due to outstanding and updated medical records being needed, as well as additional examinations to evaluate his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating prior to September 26, 2017, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter, for service-connected left knee instability has been dismissed due to the withdrawal by the Veteran’s attorney.

The Board denied service connection for right knee and left knee disabilities, but granted service connection for PTSD with depression and anxiety.,Secondary service connection was granted for the Veteran's left knee disability as it is related to his right knee disability.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is denied as there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.,Service connection for headaches, to include as secondary to TBI, is denied due to lack of evidence linking the current condition to service or TBI.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include depression and anxiety, is denied as there is no evidence showing it was incurred in service.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not shown by VA standards.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding no evidence of a causal link to active service. The claim for left foot/pes cavus was remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and remanded the cases of increased disability ratings for right and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and right ankle disability are dismissed due to the grant of these conditions in a previous rating decision. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding the Veteran's request to reopen a claim of service connection for a left shoulder disability. The claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, lumbar spine strain, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for a bilateral shoulder disability, left knee disability, and bilateral ankle disability due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to service. Further development is needed.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been granted a separate 10 percent evaluation for subluxation and lateral instability, and a 20 percent evaluation for dislocated cartilage with frequent episodes of joint pain and effusion.,The Veteran's left knee disability has been granted a 20 percent evaluation for dislocated cartilage with frequent episodes of joint pain and effusion.