Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's right knee disability is not service-connected, as the earliest clinical evidence of pain was more than two decades after separation from service.,PTSD symptoms have been manifested by anxiety, suspiciousness, and difficulty in socializing but do not meet criteria for total occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for payment of or reimbursement for private medical expenses incurred on February 23, 2012, as there was no prior authorization from VA and the treatment did not meet the criteria for emergency services.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected foot disabilities and his right ankle and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for instability of the left knee and limitation of motion of the left knee, finding that the evidence did not support higher evaluations under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a hearing at a local RO. The issues include rating adjustments for knee disabilities, reopening of service connection claims for psychiatric and back disorders, and TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate reasons or bases provided by the Board in its August 2014 decision. The Board failed to consider evidence of instability and abnormal patellar tracking when considering whether a higher rating was warranted under 38 C.F.R. � 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records and updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for a low back disability, allergic rhinitis, and left shoulder impingement syndrome with osteoarthritis. The remaining issues are either not addressed or remain pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and possibly a VA examination. The Veteran's right knee disorder may have been incurred during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee and found a noncompensable rating is warranted for loss of teeth #9 and #10 due to trauma. The Veteran's current symptoms are adequately addressed by the existing schedular criteria.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for right knee and back disabilities, as well as the claim for TDIU. The Veteran will need to undergo a VA examination to determine if his current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's right knee disabilities do not result in ankylosis, moderate subluxation or instability; dislocated or removed meniscus; flexion functionally limited to 45 degrees or less; extension functionally limited to 10 degrees or more; or an impairment of the tibia and fibula. The Veteran is therefore not entitled to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his functional impairment from service-connected disabilities. The AOJ will readjudicate the case with consideration of all evidence received since the last prior adjudication.

The Veteran was granted TDIU as of November 1, 2009, due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted. The claims to reopen the issues of entitlement to service connection for a disability manifested by chronic cough and cold, low back pain, skin rash, and right knee disability are also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Statement of the Case (SOC) regarding his initial evaluations for PTSD, left knee disability, and left thumb disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, to include as secondary to a service-connected right knee disorder, is currently pending and requires additional development before it can be adjudicated.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left hip disorder, and right hip disorder. The rating for his bilateral pes planus was also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability did not have its onset during military service and is not otherwise related to such service. The claim for service connection was denied.