Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for increased evaluations related to right knee arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine before a decision was made.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection of a right knee disability due to lack of new and material evidence.

This decision denies service connection for right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities. The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70% since January 3, 2013.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back injury, but has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left total knee replacement is being remanded due to the addition of new medical evidence and the need to review outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee torn meniscus, left and right knee osteoarthritis with limitation of flexion, and degenerative joint disease with limitation of flexion have been denied. The highest schedular rating available under the applicable diagnostic codes is already assigned.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence did not support higher evaluations for his left knee disability, arthritis with limitation of motion, or hemorrhoids. The Veteran was granted TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, but has remanded them for further development to clarify periods of active service and obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to obtain missing service treatment records and military personnel records, as well as VA examinations to address the etiology of her claimed left knee condition and bilateral shin splints.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee degenerative changes and left knee strain due to inadequate medical opinions in her case. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to her military service.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, breathing-related disability, and lower back disability are granted. The Veteran is denied for higher initial ratings or earlier effective dates for her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded for further examination and development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability and rating for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient medical opinions and missing treatment records. The Veteran is also asked to provide additional private treatment records from Dr. Boone and Dr. Mittal, as well as VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hip and knee disorders, as they are related to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed left hip, right hip, left knee, and/or right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee laxity, left leg neuroma, and TDIU due to inadequate VA examinations and missing medical records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various knee, back, cervical spine, and ankle disabilities were denied. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are rated based on their current functional impairment without considering any presumptive or secondary theories of service connection.

The Board dismissed the appeal as the December 16, 2011 notice of disagreement was not timely filed and found that there are no remaining questions of fact or law to be decided for the issues of whether an NOD received on December 16, 2011 was timely filed as to a March 2010 rating decision assigning an effective date of May 18, 2009 for the grant of service connection for left knee flexion and the grant of an increased rating to 20 percent for left knee impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records and the need for further examination. The claims will be reconsidered after obtaining additional medical records and verifying stressful events during service.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the nature and etiology of various disabilities, including PTSD, right hand/wrist disability, lumbar spine condition, left knee disability, right knee disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Board has also determined that verification of the Veteran's in-service stressors is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, bilateral knees, and bilateral feet due to inadequate examinations in previous decisions.