Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been rated at 90 percent disabling since September 23, 2012. The Board has granted restoration of disability ratings for migraines, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, as well as TDIU from September 23, 2012 to September 22, 2013.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, right knee, and left knee conditions due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck disability, bilateral knee disability, and lower back disability. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for hypertension and prostate condition.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for low back pain, right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee disability, and right ankle injury residuals due to new and material evidence. The issues are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to incomplete information and for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and possibly referring the issue to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has restored the original 50% ratings for left and right knee degenerative joint disease from May 1, 2017 as the RO did not follow proper procedural guidelines in reducing these ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus (right), post-traumatic stress disorder (MST), left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and post right foot hallux valgus surgery scars, do not render her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues, including the evaluation of total right knee arthroplasty, coronary artery disease prior to January 4, 2018, service connection for lung disease, and service connection for sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left knee disability has been dismissed due to his death. The appeal for eligibility for specially adapted housing has also been dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and the TDIU claim is granted. The left elbow disability issue remains pending due to a lack of VA examination.

The Veteran's right knee disability, left shoulder disability, back disability, and bilateral foot disability are all remanded for further review. Additionally, the Veteran's PTSD rating is also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability and frostbite/cold injury residuals of the extremities were denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was also denied as there is no valid diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with DSM-IV or DSM-5 criteria.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc disease, left knee total replacement with degenerative joint disease, right knee degenerative joint disease, left hip degenerative joint disease, and right hip degenerative joint disease are all granted service connection. The Veteran’s right shoulder degenerative joint disease is also granted service connection.,Left knee muscle damage, nerve damage, and scar issues as well as a bilateral foot disability remain unresolved and require further examination.

The Veteran's left knee instability rating was restored to a 10 percent level, effective October 24, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left elbow, lumbar spine, and knee disabilities. The TDIU claim was also denied prior to December 30, 2015.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's disabilities, particularly those related to service connection. The claims for tinnitus and bilateral foot disability have been granted, but further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea has been reopened and granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of sleep apnea is proximately due to, or aggravated by his service-connected sinus disability. The remaining issues regarding increased ratings for left knee and sinus disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claims for bilateral knee condition, left ear hearing loss, and skin condition were granted. The claim for right ear hearing loss was denied. The case is remanded for further action on the issues of service connection for a heart condition, gastrointestinal condition, and left knee shrapnel injury.