Knee Board decisions

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and increased the rating for obstructive sleep apnea to 50 percent, while denying service connection for hypertension and other claims.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and higher initial disability ratings of 70%, 40%, and 20% for PTSD, back disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy respectively. The claims for higher ratings for right hip limitations and eye photophobia were denied.

The Board remands the claims for further evaluation of the Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis due to deficiencies in a recent VA examination report.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, considering that his service-connected orthopedic disabilities and major depressive disorder contributed substantially to his death.

The Board granted service connection for a right hip condition, back condition, and right ankle strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee condition.

The appeal of the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for lateral instability of the left knee was dismissed as a matter of law and at the Veteran's own request.

The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for the increased rating of 60 percent for left knee disability to obtain Social Security records.

The Board granted service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition, a bilateral knee condition, and a back condition based on the Veteran's credible reports of in-service symptoms that persisted post-service.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of a 20 percent rating for right knee instability, finding no evidence that an increase in severity was factually ascertainable prior to August 16, 2024.

The Board granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active service.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left knee strain post meniscectomy with degenerative arthritis and ankylosis, degenerative disc disease lumbar spine with stenosis and disc bulge, limitation of extension of the right knee, chronic right knee strain, impairment of the knee, residuals of left fractured ribs, tinnitus, hearing loss, and a scar associated with the left knee, were productive of functional impairment which precluded substantially gainful employment from January 26, 2015 through September 21, 2017.

The Board granted service connection for right and left hand conditions, a 50 percent rating for migraines, and remanded several other claims for further development.

The Board denied service connection for both a right knee disability and a left knee disability, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee disability, left knee disability, and lower back disability due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including hearing loss, spine and knee conditions, psychiatric disorders, and chronic headaches.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot condition and denied increased ratings for various conditions, but granted an initial 10 percent rating for a pilonidal cyst scar from March 7, 2024 and granted TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for a left knee disability, as aggravated by military service, and for a right knee disability, which is secondary to the service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied a higher rating for the Veteran's right knee joint osteoarthritis, limitation of extension, as the evidence did not support a finding that the condition warranted a rating greater than 10 percent.

The Board granted increased 20 percent ratings for limitation of motion of the left and right knees prior to their respective total knee replacements, but denied ratings in excess of 10 percent for instability of both knees and in excess of 30 percent for total knee replacements.