Knee Board decisions

The Board has restored a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis, limitation of flexion, effective August 1, 2021. The reduction from 30 to 10 percent was improper due to insufficient evidence demonstrating actual improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service personnel and treatment records may be missing, leading to a remand for obtaining these records. The issues of entitlement to service connection for various conditions are being remanded due to this lack of information.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various ankle and knee conditions secondary to service-connected bilateral flat feet due to duty-to-assist errors and inadequate medical opinions.

Your appeals for service connection for right and left knee disabilities have been dismissed because the August 2021 Notice of Disagreement was filed more than one year after the July 2019 rating decision, and the September 2020 HLR decision did not constitute a final, appealable decision.

The Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error and remands the claims of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disorders due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for right knee chondromalacia and right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied. The Veteran is currently receiving a 10% rating for his right knee condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral knee conditions and major depressive disorder, result in the loss of use of both lower extremities such that locomotion is precluded without the aid of a cane or braces. As a result, the Veteran qualifies for financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing.

The Board has determined that the VA examination for hyperuricemia was inadequate and remanded the case due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's service treatment records show uric acid levels and joint pain, but the July 2021 examiner did not consider these factors in their opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of right and left knee disorders, as well as right and left shoulder disorders due to insufficient information in previous opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left and right knees due to inadequate prior examinations. The Veteran needs a new examination to determine current severity, including testing for active and passive motion with weight-bearing and without weight-bearing, as well as information about flare-ups and functional loss.

The Veteran's right ankle scar is denied a compensable disability rating.,The Veteran's left knee disability prior to August 25, 2020, and since that date are both remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's right knee instability, effective from August 31, 2020.

The Board denied the Veteran's motion to establish clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the March 2016 rating decisions that denied service connection for headaches, lumbago, right elbow pain, left elbow pain, right knee retropatellar pain syndrome, and left knee retropatellar pain syndrome. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions at the time of the March 2016 VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for right knee strain and left hip strain, as these conditions are secondary to a service-connected left foot stress fracture. The VA will need to obtain additional medical opinions to determine if the Veteran's current disabilities would not have occurred without her service-connected condition.

The Veteran's back disability and neck disability were denied increased ratings.,A separate 10 percent rating was granted for left knee limitation of flexion.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee tendinitis and strain on an aggravation basis, finding that the Veteran's preexisting right knee disability was aggravated during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) in August 2017.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and clarification of medical findings related to the Veteran's neck, low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and left knee condition secondary to a service-connected right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to her military service.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal prior to the promulgation of a decision.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions.