Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claims are now pending for further review.

The Veteran's right foot plantar fasciitis is granted as service-connected, and his left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and sleep disorder are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected knee and ankle disabilities have worsened since his last VA examination, necessitating new evaluations to determine appropriate disability ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities, depression, and audiological disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined rating of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment, as determined by VA examiners.

The Veteran's claim for arthritis of the right thumb was reopened and granted service connection. An initial rating of 20% is assigned for scars of the left ankle, left knee, and right wrist.,Service connection for depressive disorder is granted with an effective date of September 17, 2016.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted sufficient to reopen the claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including lower back, neck, bilateral knee, bilateral foot, left shoulder disabilities, CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and a sleep-related disorder. Entitlement to service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance for a left knee brace is denied as she does not have any service-connected right knee disability for which a brace is worn.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, while his bilateral shoulder disorder, low back disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and bilateral knee disorder are denied. The bilateral foot disorder was not addressed in the decision.

The appeals regarding service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was granted with an effective date of July 25, 2014. The decision also states that no earlier effective date is warranted.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome and acquired psychiatric disorders (mood disorder and anxiety disorder) have been granted service connection.,Initial disability ratings for left knee patellofemoral syndrome with painful motion during flexion and instability remain denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for his left knee disability in September 2018, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's shin splints have increased in severity and warrant extraschedular consideration. The Board has ordered a new examination to determine the current severity of her service-connected bilateral shin splints.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the receipt of new evidence.,The Veteran is also being scheduled for various VA examinations related to his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral knee scars has been dismissed.,Service connection for brain aneurysm secondary to right knee disability, upper extremity gout secondary to service-connected kidney disease, and lower extremity gout secondary to service-connected kidney disease have all been granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic sinusitis was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; bipartite patella and degenerative joint disease of the right knee; bipartite patella and degenerative joint disease of the left knee; right knee instability; left knee instability from October 31, 2014; and symptomatic removal of right knee semilunar cartilage were all granted with a 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the nature and etiology of various conditions, including low back, neck, right foot, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, and bilateral shoulder conditions. The Veteran's service records indicate complaints of pain in these areas during service, but no current diagnoses have been established. A new examination is required for each condition.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating prior to September 26, 2018, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter, for scars of the left knee is denied. The Board finds that there has been no findings of three or more painful or unstable scars from September 26, 2018.