Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis and left knee strain, finding that these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right foot disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative joint and disc disease of the low back, left knee osteochondroma, right knee degenerative joint disease, hypertension, folliculitis, chronic maxillary sinusitis, and migraine headaches, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since May 2021. The Board has granted a TDIU based on this evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic right and left knee pain are remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Board will obtain a VA medical opinion to clarify the current knee disabilities, including DJD, and address the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Board granted an effective date of June 7, 2018, for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Board denied service connection for various disorders, including right knee, left knee, left hip, low back, costochondritis, OSA, and neck disorder, as there was no evidence of a current disability or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's PTSD and bilateral knee conditions are found to meet the criteria for a total disability evaluation, but his claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of PTSD, TDIU, and Dependents' Educational Assistance eligibility are remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has granted service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, as well as bilateral knee disabilities, all secondary to a now service-connected back disability. The claims for left and right knee disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their relationship to the service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and right knee disability have been granted initial ratings, while the claim for left foot plantar fasciitis has been denied.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and increased the rating for residuals of right thumb cyst surgery to 20 percent, while denying a compensable disability rating for the surgical scar. The claims for back, left knee, and radiculopathy disabilities were remanded for further evaluation.

Service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted.,The Veteran's left knee condition and right arm conditions (right elbow and right shoulder) are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee condition due to inadequate VA examinations. The case is being sent back for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology, onset, and relationship of any current left knee disability to service.

Effective December 1, 2021, the Veteran is granted increased ratings of 30 percent for ankylosis in both right and left knees. The previous separate rating for instability of the left knee was also granted.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized as degenerative joint disease, is currently rated at 20 percent for limitation of extension and 10 percent for recurrent subluxation or instability. The Board denied an increased rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment from March 11, 2017. The Board has granted a TDIU effective that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis, other than bilateral foot arthritis (i.e., right knee and bilateral hand arthritis), due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's knee instability prior to July 1, 2021.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ankle sprain and right knee disorder due to a lack of compliance with procedural requirements during his May 2022 hearing. The Veteran is advised that he can request a new hearing if he wishes.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left shoulder strains, right elbow strain, left elbow strain, right knee strain, and right ankle strain, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee stress fractures, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee strain, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right shoulder pain require additional development due to a lack of an adequate VA examination.