Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck, right arm, left ankle, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions based on lack of in-service treatment records. The Veteran is advised to submit or identify any relevant evidence.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to limited motion of 10 degrees of extension.,The Veteran's semilunar cartilage removal of the right knee has been granted a 10 percent rating based on frequent episodes of joint pain and effusion.

The Board has remanded the claims for neck, back, bilateral shoulder, right elbow, right knee, and bilateral ankle conditions due to a lack of examination and incomplete medical records. The Veteran's statements about injuries sustained during service are considered credible.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability for any of the claimed conditions, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back condition with arthritis, but as the effective date is post-dates the filing of the claim in this appeal, the Board will grant service connection to allow the AOJ to review the effective date. The claims for left knee disability and right knee disability are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors warranting addendum opinions.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for allergies, IBS, headaches, and a sinus disability. The claims of service connection for left knee tendinitis and a feet disorder have been remanded due to duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's appeal of whether a timely request for a Higher-Level Review was received for the September 2017 and October 2017 rating decisions denying service connection for Lyme disease, kidney stones, heat exhaustion, right knee strain, and abnormal liver function tests is denied.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of a left knee disability, and the Board has dismissed this case.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of February 1, 2018, but not earlier, for service connection for a back disability is granted. The Veteran also received increased ratings for various conditions and remanded issues.

The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder, migraine headaches, back disability, left knee limitation of flexion, left shin splints, GERD, nephrolithiasis, PFB, and ED are all rated at the maximum available rating (50%) for each condition.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed left knee disability, as the AOJ did not perform any additional development regarding this issue.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided for these claims are inadequate and remands them to obtain new evaluations. The Veteran's right knee conditions, including meniscal tear with degenerative arthritis and instability, as well as his right wrist sprain with nonunion of styloid process fracture and left wrist sprain with post-traumatic arthritis, require further assessment.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and a need for further evaluation of the Veteran's left knee patellofemoral syndrome.

The Veteran's GERD is granted with a 30 percent evaluation. The claims for service connection of left knee and right shoulder strain are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for Athlete's foot, bilateral hearing loss (BHL), and bilateral tinnitus were denied. The claim for acne scars was granted.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, right knee disability, bilateral foot disability (including pes planus and hallux valgus), and back disability as secondary to a bilateral knee disability due to the lack of evidence meeting the criteria for a current disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder (non-dominant), and non-allergic rhinitis with throat irritation were denied. The claim for left knee instability was granted with an effective date of January 12, 2007.,The Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for non-allergic rhinitis with throat irritation was dismissed due to lack of timely appeal and no new relevant evidence received within the applicable period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder with anxiety was denied as the earliest possible effective date is April 8, 2022.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings of his left knee patellofemoral syndrome resulting in limitation of extension and flexion were denied because it was not factually ascertainable that an increase occurred prior to September 15, 2021.,Similarly, the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings of his right knee patellofemoral syndrome resulting in limitation of extension and flexion were denied as well.