Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the March 2021 remand directives and thus, the case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right knee disorder is dismissed.,Service connection for a left foot disorder, claimed as arthritis and joint pain, is denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for left and right knee strain, finding that the Veteran's conditions are manifested by painful motion without limitation of flexion to 30 degrees or less.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder, status post left and right Achilles tendon surgery, and left knee chondromalacia disabilities. The opinion provided by a private healthcare provider established that the Veteran's weight gain from his service-connected conditions was a substantial factor in causing his OSA.

The Veteran's right knee meniscal tear and arthritis were not shown to have been manifested by compensable limitations of flexion or extension, dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of locking and effusion into the joint, symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage, ankylosis, nonunion or malunion of the tibia or fibula, or genu recurvatum. As such, a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee meniscal tear and arthritis is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to errors in verifying the Veteran's service and obtaining an opinion on the etiology of his left knee disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee strains as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance/housebound due to his service-connected disabilities not meeting the criteria of needing regular aid and assistance or being permanently housebound.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective May 18, 2015. The Board found that this arose on May 18, 2015, which is later than the February 22, 2012 date of claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee tendinitis and right knee tendinitis due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. A new medical opinion is required to address the Veteran's contentions of in-service injury and continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for instability and limitation of extension of the right knee, as well as a bilateral ankle condition. The denial is based on the absence of current disabilities that meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and right hip conditions due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, chronic sinusitis, and right knee pain. The case is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence on file.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as there were no positive nexus opinions provided by VA physicians.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in approximate balance regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected depression and knee disabilities caused or aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea. As a result, service connection for OSA as secondary to these conditions is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, including whether it is related to service or secondary to a left ankle fracture.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot disability, right knee degenerative arthritis with patella tendonitis, and left knee degenerative arthritis with patella tendonitis. The decision is based on the Veteran's consistent reports of pain during service and post-service, as well as the absence of any intervening injuries or medical evidence contradicting his claims.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are rated at 20 percent each under Diagnostic Code 5260 for limitation of flexion. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for instability.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and right little finger sprain have been denied. The Veteran has been granted a 10% rating for his lumbar spondylosis.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis, right knee joint, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorders as secondary to hip disabilities because the NOD was improperly docketed and there was no prior adjudication of the claim.