Knee Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the knees, sinusitis, arthritis of the feet, a right elbow disability, and a low back disability due to lack of evidence showing an in-service event or injury related to these conditions.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder with TBI is granted a 100 percent rating from February 19, 2022. The left and right knee arthritis are each rated at 20 percent since February 19, 2022. Migraine headaches are assigned a maximum 50 percent rating starting from February 25, 2022.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding bilateral pes planus, left knee condition, and right knee condition before the Board could make a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and a right shoulder sprain (claimed as a right shoulder disability) due to insufficient evidence showing an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran reported injuries during active duty, but his statements were deemed not credible by the Board.

The Veteran's knee disabilities are remanded for further evaluation due to incomplete medical records and the need for a retrospective medical opinion.

The Board has denied service connection for right ankle and foot disabilities, as well as for right and left knee disabilities, migraine headaches, an adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, and sleep disturbances. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, left elbow disorder, right elbow disorder, and left knee disorder were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a VA examination clarifying whether the Veteran's left knee condition, including patellofemoral syndrome, is related to his service-connected right patellofemoral pain syndrome. The examiner must also clarify if the Veteran has any current left patellofemoral syndrome.

The Veteran's claims for hypercholesterolemia and multiple myeloma have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,For the remaining conditions, the Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee scar disabilities, have resulted in his inability to obtain or maintain a substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted the TDIU claim based on the combined effects of these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle strain and left knee strain as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's lower back and left knee disabilities, including rating determinations for various periods of time. The case is being returned for further action based on a retrospective opinion addressing the state of the Veteran's disabilities throughout the appeal period.

The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with its May 2024 remand, and therefore, the case is being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The May 1999 rating decision granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability with an initial disability rating of 10 percent, effective January 25, 1999. The Board found that the May 1999 rating decision was clearly and unmistakably erroneous in assigning an effective date of January 25, 1999, without considering whether the prior denial of service connection had become final. As a result, the effective date for the award of service connection is revised to February 2, 1997.

The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to November 13, 2012 has been withdrawn and is therefore dismissed. The Board also did not have jurisdiction to review the remaining issues as they are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU issue.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee strain and instability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding flare-ups and stability.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis in both knees, finding that the Veteran's knee disabilities were caused by his active duty service.

The Veteran's right knee instability is granted a separate 10 percent rating from March 21, 2018 to January 31, 2021. The Veteran's left knee instability prior to July 6, 2015 is granted a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to October 3, 2016. The Board granted TDIU based on the combined evaluation of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his left knee disability was denied because he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination without showing good cause.