Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by semilunar cartilage dislocation with frequent episodes of 'locking', pain, and effusion into the joint, is granted a 20 percent rating. The right knee instability is granted a 20 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his military service and grants direct service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right knee instability was rated as 10% from July 1, 2013 to May 5, 2022 and denied a higher rating.,From May 6, 2022, the Veteran's right knee instability was rated as 20%, but he is still denied a higher rating for this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee and lumbar spine disabilities due to inadequate medical examinations and failure to address certain evidence in prior decisions.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of right shoulder condition, bilateral knee condition, left shoulder condition, and bilateral flatfeet. The case is being remanded to allow for further development including VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and conducting examinations to assess the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim will be reconsidered based on this additional evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his right knee scar is denied, and the Board has remanded the issue of an increased disability rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease due to inadequate VA examination findings.

The Board granted service connection for right knee strain and assigned a 10% disability rating effective from April 23, 2021. The TDIU was granted effective from May 9, 2022, based on the Veteran's PTSD and other disabilities independently rated at least 60%. SMC at the statutory housebound rate was granted effective from May 9, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including high cholesterol, left knee disability, left hip disability, hypertension, prostate cancer, posttraumatic stress disorder, bilateral hearing loss, right hip disability with limitation of extension, right hip disability with limitation of flexion, right knee disability, and right ankle disabilities have all been denied. The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any diagnoses or complaints related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck, back, and left knee disorders due to incomplete pre-decisional duty to assist.

The Board's decision is partially vacated, addressing the issues of service connection for right knee disability, right shoulder disability, and right wrist disability. These were not appealed in the June 21, 2022 VA Form 10182.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from April 11, 2013, to March 20, 2014. The effective date for the TDIU is based on his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.,The appeal regarding an effective date prior to March 21, 2014, for a separate rating of right knee instability and recurrent subluxation was dismissed.

The Board denied eligibility for attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the March 2022 Rating Decision, as the decision was not an appeal of a prior decision but rather an initial claim.

The Board has determined that the reduction of disability ratings for service-connected right and left knee disabilities from 30 percent to 10 percent was improper, and therefore restored the original 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's representative withdrew the appeal regarding an earlier effective date for a 30 percent rating for right knee instability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC housebound from April 1, 2011 based on finality of previous decisions and lack of evidence showing permanent housebound due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's TDIU from August 15, 2019 to September 7, 2020 is granted. An earlier effective date for SMC based on housebound criteria prior to September 8, 2020 is remanded.

The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to his service-connected adjustment disorder. His left knee disability remains at a 10% rating, and the right wrist tendonitis claim is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was denied as there is no current diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder.,Service connection for dizziness was also denied due to the lack of evidence of a current disability.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy (to include as secondary to lumbosacral strain), and left knee condition. Service connection was denied for left hip condition and right hip condition due to lack of evidence of current disability.