Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot, right knee, left knee, and left hip disabilities due to incomplete development of the record.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's right knee disorder based on instability, effective December 8, 2016. The rating is subject to the laws and regulations governing the award of monetary benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability during flare-ups, and for obtaining additional treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee replacement is rated at 30 percent, and his claim for a higher rating has been denied. The Board also found that he does not meet the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for limitation of left knee extension due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee DJD, left knee DJD, left knee instability, and right ankle disability as they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to an inadequate examination regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee conditions prior to specific dates have been denied. The Veteran was granted initial 10 percent ratings for his knees in August 2012, followed by a temporary total rating from May 11, 2017 to July 1, 2018. As of July 1, 2018, he received 60 percent ratings for his total knee replacements.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, low back condition, cervical spine condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, right knee condition, and left knee condition due to additional development of evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and for further development, including obtaining any relevant medical records from a Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability caused or aggravated his left knee disorder. The VA is instructed to obtain a new medical opinion and conduct any other necessary development.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for instability and strain in the right knee due to inconsistencies with previous examinations and lack of medical explanation for improvement.

The Veteran's lumbar strain and left lower extremity radiculopathy are rated at 20 percent, effective October 15, 2019. The right knee strain and left knee strain remain rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee instability and arthritis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability, but only supported the current 10 percent rating due to pain.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, right knee disability, left knee disability, and back disability due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The claims are being returned for further development.

The petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a lung condition, including COPD and asthma, is denied. The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and left knee condition (claimed as arthritis of the lower extremities) are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions due to incomplete medical records and a need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hip and left knee disorders due to inadequate examinations and incomplete records. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations that address his lay statements and provide a reasoned medical explanation connecting the in-service events to current diagnoses.

The Veteran's additional bilateral wrist and right knee disabilities are considered to be at least as likely as not caused by negligence or other deviation from the standard of care during VA treatment in January 1993, specifically due to a failure to diagnose and treat an underlying infection.