Knee Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the claims for right ankle and left knee disabilities, fissure in ano (perianal abscess), and skin disability due to inadequate examinations conducted over five years ago. The Veteran will need new examinations to address his symptoms and functional impairments.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and bilateral knee disorders, rendered him unable to work in any active or sedentary position he might have been able to obtain with his background. The Board has granted an effective date of January 19, 2011 for the TDIU.

The Veteran's initial ratings for right and left knee disabilities are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran's entitlement to TDIU prior to November 22, 2010 is also denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right knee, left knee, and right foot disabilities have been denied. The VA determined that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating in any of these cases.

The Board has added over 300 pages of VA treatment records to the claims file, which may be relevant to the Veteran's appeals. The AOJ needs to review this new evidence and issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case before making a decision on the issues.

The Board denied service connection for lower back and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not have onset during his active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The Board has restored the separate 10 percent ratings for the Veteran's scar of the right knee, lateral and medial aspects due to improper reduction without applying the proper regulations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral hand condition, low back condition, and bilateral knee condition due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental condition and several other conditions was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for compensation purposes, as there was no impairment of maxilla, mandible, or temporomandibular articulation resulting from in-service trauma.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disability is related to service. A new VA examination will be scheduled to assess this issue.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for right knee pain, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and bilateral hip pain. However, these claims are all denied as they do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee, left knee, left ankle, and right ankle conditions due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on his already service-connected pes planus.

The Veteran's lumbar strain and right knee strain were evaluated at a 10% rating. The Board found that the evidence did not meet criteria for higher ratings based on functional loss due to pain, guarding, or localized tenderness.

The Board has determined that an earlier effective date for the increased rating of 50 percent for residuals of left knee injury is not warranted. The Veteran's claim was received on May 15, 2013, and a separate 10 percent rating was granted in February 2014.

The Veteran's right knee replacement was granted a 60% rating from July 31, 2018. Prior to that date, he received a 30% rating from April 1, 2009 to July 30, 2018 and a 100% rating effective February 13, 2008.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral knee osteoarthritis are not related to in-service injuries or events.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a right knee disability are granted. The claim for secondary service connection for left knee disability is remanded.

The Board denied separate compensable evaluations for instability of the right and left knees prior to September 13, 2013, finding no evidence of recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative right and left knee disabilities, finding no nexus between his current conditions and military service.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 20 percent evaluation for instability of the right knee is granted. The issue of entitlement to a separate evaluation for limitation of extension of the right knee has been referred to the AOJ.