Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's right and left knee braces were not shown to cause wear and tear to his clothing during calendar year 2021, leading to the denial of a clothing allowance.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral hip conditions due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left knee arthritis is being remanded due to the failure to provide a new examination regarding the severity of his condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that he was not unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment solely because of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and back pain. The VA examiner found no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress with insomnia resulted in occupational and social impairment from March 9, 2015 to September 2, 2021. The claim for service connection of the back disorder, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, right shoulder disorder, and right knee disorder is remanded due to procedural errors.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right knee replacement and lumbosacral strain with spinal fusions and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied, with effective dates set at May 11, 2018, and December 1, 2017, respectively.,Eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) was granted on October 4, 2019.

The Board has restored the previous ratings for the Veteran's left knee recurrent subluxation, right knee arthritis with cartilage damage, and left shoulder strain due to inadequate examinations used in the reduction process.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for right knee degenerative arthritis and subluxation have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has denied service connection for anxiety, left knee tendonitis, and right knee tendonitis. The claim of service connection for tinnitus is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder strain, right knee strain, bilateral foot condition, and hemorrhoids. The most probative evidence is against finding that these conditions are related to service.,Without a current diagnosis of a bilateral foot disability or hemorrhoids, the Veteran's claims for these conditions must be denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus is denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for left and right knee conditions due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient VA etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee strain. The claim will be reconsidered with a new examination and opinion.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to properly adjudicate the claims of service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to the lack of competent evidence on the diagnosis of current disability and its etiology.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for obstructive sleep apnea is granted at a 50 percent level.,A separate disability rating of 50 percent, but not higher, is granted for left knee instability.

The Veteran seeks a higher rating for his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder and an earlier effective date. The Board denied the higher rating, but remanded the issues of an earlier effective date and service connection.,The Veteran also contends that he is entitled to a TDIU due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder, but the evidence shows he has been unemployed since 2011 due in part to a physical disability. The right knee claim is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that the current opinion on whether the Veteran's right knee disorder is secondary to his service-connected left knee disabilities is inadequate and requires further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability present during or within one year after service, and no causal relationship to service.

The appeal of the increased rating claim for hypertension is dismissed. An initial 30 percent disability rating for a headache disorder is granted, and an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for a right knee meniscus condition is denied. A separate 10 percent disability rating for right knee painful motion is granted.