Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for more than a 10 percent rating for right knee disability and nonservice-connected pension (NSCP) due to failure to report for an August 2019 VA examination. Additional development is needed to ensure compliance with prior remand directives.

The Veteran's appeal for his son D.A. as a 'helpless child' on the basis of permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining age 18 is dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent, with separate evaluations for dislocated semilunar cartilage prior to July 11, 2014 (20 percent), and the removal of semilunar cartilage effective from that date (10 percent). The highest schedular evaluation available under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261 is not met.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been granted ratings of 10 percent each, effective prior to December 9, 2019. A separate 10 percent rating has also been granted for left knee instability.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome due to lack of substantial compliance with prior remands. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional evidence for his TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to a lack of probative value in the November 1970 separation examination. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again as part of this process.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a left ischium fracture and associated psychiatric disorder, right patellofemoral syndrome, left thigh strain, right pes planus and plantar fasciitis, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and left foot disability, have been found to meet the criteria for a combined rating of 60 percent. As such, he is granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disability and low back disability due to incomplete rationale in previous VA medical opinions. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.

The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist is currently rated at 30 percent, but a higher rating is not warranted.,Prior to August 13, 2012, his degenerative arthritis of the left knee with a Baker's cyst was rated at 10 percent. A higher rating is not warranted for this condition either.,His residuals of total left knee arthroplasty are currently rated at 30 percent since October 1, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the need to address medical literature submitted by the Veteran regarding his service-connected disabilities and their potential impact on his left lower extremity disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of chronic left knee disorder, chronic right knee disorder, chronic left ankle disorder, and chronic right ankle disorder were denied. Her claim for tinnitus was granted.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeals for a compensable rating for chloracne and for service connection for a right shoulder disability. The claims of entitlement to service connection for low back, right knee, and bilateral hearing loss have been reopened due to new and material evidence being received.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been reopened and granted. The case is remanded for further examination to determine the current severity of his left knee disability, and for an examination to verify in-service stressors and assess any acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has found that the current ratings are not adequate to reflect the severity of his symptoms, particularly during flare-ups.,The Veteran was also granted separate 20 percent ratings for meniscal tears in both knees.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for asthma and left knee disability due to outstanding medical records not being obtained.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, as he is capable of performing sedentary employment despite some physical limitations.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right knee, bilateral hip, and neck conditions as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the right foot.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and instability due to insufficient information provided by VA examiners regarding functional loss or limitation of range-of-motion. The Veteran will need a new examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, including frequency, severity, and functional impairment associated with the disabilities in sufficient detail to allow for application of the pertinent rating criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities, finding that these conditions began during his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss due to lack of a current diagnosis. The Veteran's flat feet are remanded as the VA examiner did not adequately address whether they were aggravated by service.,The Board has denied entitlement to a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's flat feet are remanded as the VA examiner did not provide an opinion on their etiology.,The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for flat feet, right knee condition (secondary to service-connected left knee condition), back condition, and right shoulder condition. The right middle finger laceration residual claim is also remanded.,The VA examiner was asked to determine if the Veteran's right knee condition is secondary to his service-connected left knee condition. The examiner must provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed back, right shoulder and right shoulder scar disabilities are related to in-service injuries.,The VA examiner was asked to determine if the Veteran's right middle finger laceration residual is related to an in-service injury, event or disease. The examiner must provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that any currently diagnosed back, right shoulder and right shoulder scar disabilities are related to in-service injuries.