Knee Board decisions

The Board denied a compensable rating for ingrown toenails, right 5th toe dermatophytosis and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, granted a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve of the left lower extremity effective October 31, 2021, and denied compensable ratings for scars of the left forearm and ankle as well as an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee condition, secondary to the Veteran's already service-connected right ankle sprain.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, right knee disability, and HIV. The Board found that there is no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within the applicable presumptive period, and that continuity of symptomatology was not established.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as new and material evidence was received. The claims are now pending further development to determine if service connection can be established.

The Board has denied service connection for scars, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder was also denied as secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hand disability, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and headache disability as the evidence did not support that any of these disabilities began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons or bases in the December 2022 decision, and further development is needed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability is remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination and the need for a new one with estimated range of motion during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information regarding his periods of active service, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The AOJ is instructed to verify these periods and issue a memorandum detailing them in the Veteran's file.

The Veteran's appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for gout, a left knee disorder, and a skin disorder is dismissed as he opted out of the legacy appeals system.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability has been granted. The appeal regarding OSA was remanded.,New evidence received since the last rating decision raised reasonable possibility of substantiating claims for both conditions.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions. The cases are now remanded for further review.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for left knee instability and limitation of flexion was denied. The evidence showed that the Veteran had a range of motion from 0 to 130 degrees, which is considered abnormal given the normal range is 0 to 140 degrees. However, this did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under DC 5260.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's left knee disability was clearly and unmistakably not aggravated by service, or if it is at least likely as not related to active-duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU is denied as the VA did not receive a claim prior to December 2012, and entitlement arose before that time.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left rotator cuff tendonitis and right knee tendonitis/tendinosis due to incomplete medical examinations that did not address functional ankylosis or flare-ups.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and a need for further medical examination regarding the Veteran's ability to require aid and attendance or be housebound.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability due to lack of jurisdiction.,The reduction in rating for left upper extremity neuropathy from 40% to 20% effective March 1, 2023 is upheld.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for a determination on whether he should have been granted TDIU prior to February 23, 2021. The Board finds that the Veteran has continuously pursued his service connection claims since April 25, 2018 and that the issue of whether TDIU can be granted prior to February 23, 2021 remains on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bulging disc is denied, and the claims for increased ratings for left knee and lumbosacral strain disabilities are remanded due to inadequate examination reports.