Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee osteochrondroma, finding that it is aggravated by his service-connected internal derangement of the left knee. The low back condition issue remains remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his thoracolumbar spine, left knee meniscus tear, and left knee instability disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or showing they are disabling enough to warrant higher ratings. The Veteran was also denied a TDIU as he did not meet the criteria for such an award.

The Veteran's right, left knee and left hip disabilities are granted as service connected.,Service connection for residuals of lyme disease is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a right knee infection related to VA surgery in February 2008, finding that there was no evidence of carelessness or negligence on the part of VA. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to potential issues with continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective July 27, 2005, based on the evidence showing his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle, bilateral knee, leg cramps, and low back disabilities. The evidence did not show any current disability in these areas or that they were aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, a right knee condition, a left knee condition, and a lower back condition. The Veteran did not have current disabilities related to these conditions.,The Board found no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that could be linked to the Veteran's current conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee osteoarthritis is rated at 10 percent prior to August 9, 2011. A separate 10 percent rating for slight instability of the right knee is granted from that date.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are granted service connection. The Veteran's residuals of cerebrospinal meningitis claim is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the severity of his symptoms and whether they are related to his meningitis. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected conditions have been granted, with some changes in the effective dates and ratings assigned.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral knee disability, and arthritis of the hands and feet. The claims were based on direct evidence without any presumption or secondary relationship.,There was no in-service diagnosis or treatment for these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was noted on his enlistment examination and is denied as service connection. The back, knee, and hip conditions are remanded for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that the Veteran's arthritis is related to his military service and was diagnosed within one year of separation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left hip and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the retrieval of outstanding treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee medial meniscus tear with moderate osteoarthritis and right knee mild osteoarthritis due to incomplete medical records and insufficient opinions in the VA examination reports.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection of depressive disorder with mixed features as there is no longer a case or controversy to resolve due to its grant in December 2019. The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection for knee, ankle, and lower extremity disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by chondromalacia with osteochondral lesion involving the medial femoral condyle and severe osteoarthritis, has been rated at 20 percent since August 16, 2019. The rating is for limitation of flexion to a maximum of 30 degrees during flare-ups and extension to a maximum of 10 degrees during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's combined rating did not meet the percentage standards set forth in § 4.16(a), but his case may be considered under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) for an extra-schedular TDIU.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board has found that additional development is needed due to conflicting evidence and lack of specific findings for certain conditions.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, right-knee disorder, left-knee disorder, OSA, skin disorder, and CFS were all denied as they did not meet the criteria for service connection based on the evidence of record.