Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the claims of entitlement to service connection for right hip, right knee, left knee, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities. The claim of entitlement to service connection for heart disability (enlarged heart) is also reopened.

The Veteran's eye disorder, diagnosed as diabetic retinopathy, is granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The left and right knee disorders are denied service connection. An initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD prior to December 20, 2017 is granted.

The Board has found that further development is necessary due to outstanding treatment records and a need for additional VA examinations, including those compliant with the recent precedential decision in Correia v. McDonald.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection is granted for a lower back condition and associated neurological abnormalities.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for left and right knee disorders prior to May 6, 2010 are denied.,Effective dates of May 6, 2010 and April 28, 2010 have been granted for the assignment of specific evaluations.

Your initial rating for status-post internal fixation with residual hardware and pain of the left fifth metatarsal has been granted at a 30 percent level. The other issues have been remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left knee arthritis, finding no evidence to support a link between his current conditions and military service.

The Veteran's right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy with weakness and right knee flexion contracture are at least as likely as not due to his service-connected non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. As a result, the Board has granted secondary service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder and a left knee disorder, finding that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disorders are caused by his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for increased ratings due to new evidence of worsening symptoms, and requests authorization from the Veteran to obtain private treatment records related to his disabilities. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and right carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions. The issues include left knee disorder, right knee disorder, type 2 diabetes mellitus, stroke, and a psychiatric disorder (Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depression).

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee joint pain, including neuropathy, and limited motion of the left ankle, including neuropathy. The evidence did not establish a current disability or medical relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective date determinations due to inadequate examination reports. The issues are inextricably intertwined, so all claims must be addressed together.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is granted, but the issue of determining the likely cause of any right knee disability remains pending and requires further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to address the issues of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right ankle disability, left knee disability, and lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for her left knee condition was granted in March 2016 with an effective date of November 4, 2015. The Board denied the request for an earlier effective date.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding various disabilities as he withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations related to his eye disability, migraine headaches, knee disabilities, and cervical spine arthritis due to incomplete development of records and need for further medical examination.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and several knee disabilities. The Veteran's VA treatment records from Little Rock VAMC are to be obtained, as well as any recent VA treatment records. A new VA examination is needed to determine if any current lumbar spine disability is related to active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his bilateral knee disabilities and any functional loss due to flare-ups.