Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability and his TDIU claim were both denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for the cervical spine condition, as there was no credible evidence linking it to military service. For the TDIU claim, the Veteran’s combined disability rating was 10%, which is below the threshold required for a schedular TDIU determination.

The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with its April 2019 remand directives, and therefore the issues of service connection for psychiatric disability (other than delusional disorder), low back disability, circulatory system disability (other than hypertension), bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and right knee disability are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were dismissed as he withdrew his claims through his representative.

The Board has remanded the claims for instability of both knees and degenerative joint disease in both knees due to inadequate examination reports and missing VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee and foot disabilities, as well as the presence or absence of a superimposed injury in service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to outstanding SSA records and other potential issues. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is currently pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination for assessing the severity of the Veteran's right knee condition. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine his current disability level.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to new evidence indicating that his current knee conditions may be related to in-service duties.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, with a temporary 100 percent rating from March 14, 2017 to May 31, 2017. The Veteran's right shoulder scars are not compensably rated.,For the left knee disability, the Veteran has been granted separate ratings of 10%, 20%, and 30% based on recurrent subluxation or lateral instability (DC 5257), dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of 'locking,' pain, and effusion into the joint (DC 5258), and limitation of left leg extension to 10 degrees (DC 5261).

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's low back disability, but remanded several other issues including those related to bilateral hearing loss, right eye condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and bipolar disorder), left knee condition, right knee condition, left hip condition, bilateral foot condition, and left elbow condition.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for PTSD, alcohol use disorder, low back condition, and bilateral knee condition have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals through his authorized representative.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including instability, is currently rated as 10 percent for the period prior to February 4, 2019 and 30 percent from that date. The claim for an increased rating remains denied.,A separate 20 percent rating has been granted for left knee instability. However, the Veteran's TDIU application is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development regarding the Veteran's right knee disability, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing a medical opinion on its etiology.

The Board has denied service connection for various knee, spine, and shoulder disorders, as well as a respiratory disorder. The evidence does not support the Veteran's claims that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's right knee instability rating was reduced from 10% to 0%, effective December 1, 2015. The case is remanded for further review.

Service connection granted for tinnitus. Service connection denied for right ear hearing loss, insomnia, left knee disability, right knee disability, acne, and neck disability.,The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any complaints or diagnoses related to the claimed disabilities except for a history of folliculitis (acne) during service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, and bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran's left ankle disability was not addressed as it is a separate issue.,The Board found no current disability of the back, knees, or left ankle that could be linked to active duty service.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities have been rated based on the severity of their residuals, with no higher ratings granted due to lack of severe painful motion or weakness.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports for both left and right knee disabilities. A new VA examination is required to assess the current severity of the Veteran's knee conditions.

The claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Veteran's knee and shoulder disorders are remanded for further development.