Knee Board decisions

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a right knee disability to arrange for a VA examination and obtain a medical opinion.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the effective dates of various ratings and service connection determinations related to knee conditions, instability, meniscal tears, scars, and tinnitus. The Board dismissed these claims as a result.

The Veteran's appeal for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Ohio Health on October 12, 2019, is denied as the treatment did not constitute a medical emergency and no VA facility was feasibly available.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ear high frequency hearing loss and left knee disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show worsening in either condition, and thus no increase in rating was warranted.

The reduction of the rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis from 30 percent to 10 percent was improper, and the restoration of the 30 percent rating is granted. Ratings in excess of 30 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis with right foot ossicle, right knee strain with degenerative arthritis, and left knee strain with degenerative arthritis are denied.

Your appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The claims for bilateral knee disability and left hip disability are not currently being considered.

The Board has determined that there are duty to assist errors in the prior decision and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee shin splints with osteoarthritis and left knee strain with shin splints are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations that did not address potential aggravation by obesity related to diabetes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation on an extra-schedular basis for his left knee disability, finding that the current rating adequately compensates him and there are no other related factors warranting further extraschedular consideration.

The claims for service connection for various knee and shin splints conditions, as well as prostate disorder and Paget's disease, have been denied due to lack of new relevant evidence.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disorders, keratosis pilaris with folliculitis, respiratory disorder, and low back disorder due to lack of new and relevant evidence.,New and relevant evidence was not received for the claims of service connection for a left or right knee disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for residuals of mild traumatic brain injury with post-traumatic headaches was denied. The evidence did not show that the condition resulted in Level 2 impairment, which is necessary to warrant a 40 percent rating.,The Veteran's application for TDIU was also denied as his service-connected disabilities alone do not meet the schedular criteria for individual unemployability.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for sinusitis, to include consideration of the propriety of the reduction in the rating from 10 percent to noncompensable, effective October 1, 2021, is denied.,The Veteran's appeals for evaluations for left knee osteoarthritis (limitation of extension) and instability are remanded due to insufficient evidence at the time of the July 2021 rating decision.,The Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent prior to September 2, 2020, and a compensable evaluation from September 2, 2020, for right knee osteoarthritis, s/p meniscectomy (instability) is remanded due to insufficient evidence at the time of the July 2021 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in the previous VA examinations and opinions. The issues of left knee disability, left foot disability (pes planus), and tinnitus are being reviewed with new evidence and expert opinion.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding no evidence linking current conditions to the Veteran's in-service treatment. The lumbar spine disorder was also not granted service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obesity is dismissed as a matter of law. The Board also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current right knee disability and active service.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for the lumbosacral disability were inadequate and remanded. The Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral feet, ankles, and knees are also remanded due to inadequate VA opinions regarding functional impairment.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent rating, effective March 3, 2021.,An initial 50 percent rating for migraines is granted, effective March 3, 2021.,Service connection for OSA and right knee disability are both granted. The right knee service connection decision was remanded.,The appeal of a duty to assist error during higher-level review (HLR) for the right knee disability is dismissed.,An earlier effective date than March 3, 2021, for the grant of service connection for migraines is denied.