Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence regarding the Veteran's claims for left and right knee disabilities was received since a final June 2008 rating decision. The Veteran's service connection claims are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including a total knee replacement and instability, is currently rated at 30 percent. The appeal for an increased rating has been granted for the right knee instability.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error regarding identified private treatment records from Henry Ford Metro Center. The Veteran's right knee disability claim is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher initial rating for his right knee disability, finding that no evidence supported such requests.

The Veteran's request for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his mid-tibia fracture, right leg, postoperative to include knee with patellar femoral pain syndrome is denied. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for his right knee instability.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and medical opinions provided are inadequate, as they did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms. The claims for service connection for bilateral knee chondromalacia and lumbosacral strain are being remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of right and left knee disabilities, leading to their dismissal.

The Veteran's right knee disability is found to have started during service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.,Tinnitus was also found to be incurred in service based on noise exposure.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal because the September 2024 VA Form 10182 was an impermissible concurrent election and docketed at the Board in error.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to February 19, 2019, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

Service connection is granted for a right hip condition, left knee condition, and right knee condition.,Service connection is denied for sinusitis (claimed as sinus condition).,The Veteran's current right hip and left knee conditions are related to service. The Board finds in favor of the Veteran on these claims due to the benefit of doubt.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and a need for new examination opinions. The claims will be reconsidered with the additional evidence.

The Board granted a separate 20 percent rating for left knee instability and an increased 10 percent rating for the left knee scar, while denying a higher rating for bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lower back condition, right knee pain, and left knee pain as secondary to a lower back condition due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD disorder and remanded claims for left-knee, low-back, and eye conditions. Insomnia was granted a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board granted a rating of 20 percent for the left foot disability but denied service connection for several other conditions, including sinus and liver disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including limitation of extension and instability, is rated at 20 percent. The Veteran was previously awarded a non-compensable rating for his limitation of flexion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to errors in obtaining relevant treatment records and providing a fully adequate VA medical opinion. The AOJ will obtain any missing records, including those from Prisma Health, and provide the Veteran with another VA examination.