Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity that they preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU for the entire appeal period.

The Veteran's right and left knee DJD with shin splints and exertional compartment syndrome were granted a combined 40 percent rating from May 29, 2012 to May 28, 2017.,A separate 10 percent rating was assigned for the left ankle sprain. The Veteran's left shoulder remote AC joint separation with limitation of motion received a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right ankle disability is rated at 10 percent, the left knee disability is not service-connected, and the hearing loss and tinnitus are also not service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for reopening and granting service connection for left knee disorder, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claims for respiratory disorder, colon disorder, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are remanded due to outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle strain, left ankle strain, low back muscle strain, and right knee strain were previously denied in October 2012. New evidence submitted since then did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee disability was also previously denied in June 2013. The new evidence received since that decision does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the issues of entitlement to service connection for left knee, right knee, left ankle, right ankle, left foot, and right foot disabilities must be remanded due to additional development being required.

The Board has reopened the claim for a left knee disability and remanded it for further development.

The Veteran's left knee disability, specifically chondromalacia patella, was rated at 40 percent prior to March 1, 2018 and reduced to 20 percent effective March 1, 2018. The reduction from 40 percent to 20 percent is granted as the evidence showed improvement in range of motion.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure of the Veteran to report for VA examinations. The claims are now pending and need further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include hearing impairment, tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and rating considerations due to inadequate VA examinations in previous determinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and foot disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic disability in service or during the presumptive period, and that any current conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding increased ratings for several service-connected conditions, including adjustment disorder, right shoulder rotator cuff disability, spine strain, hallux valgus residuals, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and a scar from the right great toe. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knees, as well as his wrist tendonitis, have been denied. The case is remanded due to the need for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee and hip disabilities are being remanded to obtain additional VA examination and treatment records.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for bronchitis, a kidney condition, a lumbar spine disability, right foot arthritis, left knee arthritis, and a deviated septum. The claim of service connection for DMII secondary to bilateral knee and foot disabilities and/or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune is remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 60 percent from March 19, 2018 to March 18, 2019 for total knee replacement. Prior to this period, he received separate ratings for degenerative joint disease and meniscal tear.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine condition, hypertension, bilateral knee conditions, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, left elbow condition, right elbow condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, and left and right knee conditions. The new evidence submitted since previous denials is considered material as it relates to the basis of the prior final denial.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee chondromalacia, right knee chondromalacia, and lumbosacral strain have been denied. The rating of 10 percent has been maintained for the entire period on appeal.