Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for grade 2 chondromalacia lateral femoral condyle left knee status post arthroscopy is granted. The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating prior to September 6, 2016 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter for internal derangement right knee medial meniscus status post arthroscopy with partial synovectomy and plica excision is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the current conditions were not present until years after service and are not etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records, specifically from Cleveland VAMC. The claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance is also being remanded as part of these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current knee disabilities and his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran experienced 'continuous' symptoms of arthritis since service separation.,Service connection was also remanded for hypertension due to herbicide exposure or secondary to diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and erectile dysfunction, as well as his claim for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease is related to service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for compartment syndrome with degenerative arthritis, left knee. The appeals are now pending before VA for further examination and medical opinion.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for the right knee prior to June 14, 2011 and a TDIU effective date prior to that date.,The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment due solely to his disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis and denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. Bilateral knee osteoarthritis is considered to have manifested within one year of the Veteran's separation from active duty in February 2004, while obstructive sleep apnea was not incurred or related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including pulmonary hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and multiple joint issues, render him in need of regular aid and assistance due to his inability to perform daily activities without help. SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance is granted.

The Board denied an increased rating for left knee strain and left ankle disability, finding the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before a decision can be made regarding the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his right knee disability and TDIU. The Veteran was last provided with a VA examination in January 2018, over two and half years ago, and he reported that his condition has worsened since then. A new VA examination is required to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete medical records.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are rated at 10 percent each, based on limitation of motion. The appeal is denied as the disability does not meet criteria for higher ratings.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability, finding that it had its onset in active service and resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to an error in the February 2013 VA examiner's report, which inaccurately described the Veteran’s in-service left knee diagnosis as retropatellar pain syndrome. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his current left knee disability (diagnosed as left TKR).

The Veteran's left knee gouty osteoarthritis was granted a rating of 20 percent beginning December 21, 2018. His right knee gouty osteoarthritis and limitation of extension associated with his left knee were not rated higher.

The Veteran's right knee disability is not rated higher than 10% for the period from June 1, 2016 to September 17, 2019 due to limitation of extension.,The Veteran's right knee instability is not rated higher than 10% as of September 18, 2019.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and a temporary total disability rating. The main issue is that further medical examinations are needed due to the passage of time since previous evaluations.