Knee Board decisions

The Board granted entitlement to an effective date of November 16, 2007 for TDIU on an extraschedular basis and for basic eligibility for DEA benefits. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to June 3, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, and right knee disorder. The Veteran's current diagnoses are found to be at least as likely as not related to her active duty service.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for the initial 20 percent ratings for left knee instability and patellofemoral pain syndrome with chondromalacia patella have been dismissed as no justiciable case or controversy is before the Board at this time.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his left knee disability prior to June 30, 2021 is denied as the evidence does not show residuals of the left knee disability following prosthetic replacement since December 1, 2021.,The Veteran's psychiatric disorder claim is remanded and will be considered by the AOJ in conjunction with his other claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates of service connection for his right knee limitation of extension, meniscectomy, and associated scars. The effective date assigned by VA was October 4, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and right hip disability are denied. The Board has remanded the claims for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), right knee disability, and an acquired psychiatric condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is remanded. The Board has also remanded his claims for service connection for IBS and an acquired psychiatric condition.

The appeal for a disability rating more than 10 percent for left ankle strain has been dismissed. The appeals for service connection of right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, left hip, and bilateral foot disabilities have been remanded.

The claims for acne, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and ankle/knee disabilities are being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ must provide an adequate explanation for separating the Veteran's acne and pseudofolliculitis barbae disabilities and obtain a new VA medical opinion on the etiology of his right hip, ankle, and knee disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability due to lack of current diagnosis and failure to establish a nexus between in-service injury and present condition.

The Board has granted effective dates of August 8, 2017 for the awards of service connection for left and right knee limitation of extension.

The Veteran's GERD was granted service connection effective August 24, 2021. Increased ratings for bilateral hip and knee disabilities were also granted effective August 24, 2021.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinion regarding a nexus to service. The Veteran contends his current knee disabilities are related to service, but the VA examiner's opinion is inadequate as it did not consider the Veteran's lay statements or service treatment records.

An earlier effective date of April 13, 2012, for the award of a 20 percent disability rating for right knee instability is granted.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in a TDIU since March 21, 2007.

The Veteran's service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was denied. The Board found that the current disability neither occurred in nor was caused by service.,A separate 10 percent rating for left knee limitation of flexion is granted, but a rating above 10 percent for limitation of extension is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD with borderline personality disorder and mild alcohol use disorder is granted a disability rating of 70 percent, but no higher.

The Board has granted an effective date of November 15, 2018 for the award of a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities. The decision is based on continuous pursuit of the claim since November 15, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for toenail fungus was denied. The Board found no evidence of toenail fungus during service and insufficient medical evidence to establish a relationship between the condition and service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral hip disorders, and bilateral knee disorders due to a lack of current diagnoses. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to errors in notice and duty to assist.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, but the claims for left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.