Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee and bipolar disorder have been reopened, with new evidence showing a possible link to service. Service connection has been granted for bipolar disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, and blisters on back due to a lack of hearing attendance. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disorders due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining recent VA treatment records and considering all evidence added since the May 2016 Statement of the Case.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability is secondary to her service-connected PTSD and obesity.

The Board has determined that new evidence supports reopening the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and low back disabilities, which are found to be secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability. The decision is based on the Veteran's reported altered gait due to his right ankle injury.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of service connection for allergic rhinitis, shingles, and tension headaches. The claims for left foot arthritis, chest pain (costochondritis), cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, left knee disability, left ankle disability, and left heel spur are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder is reopened, and the appeal is granted to this extent only. The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the appeal is REMANDED.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including recurrent lumbar spine disorder, left hip disorder, right knee disorder, psychiatric disorder to include a not otherwise specified depressive disorder, and recurrent sleep disorder have been denied. The issues related to these conditions are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability, as the October 2014 VA examination may not have fully represented his condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his lumbar spine condition and left knee condition due to outdated VA examinations. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee condition and its relation to his military service. The case will be returned for a supplemental examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability and left knee disability, finding that these conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus, right knee disability, and left knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes, and there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between his current conditions and service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of adequate examination for left knee degenerative joint disease, and an additional VA examination is required.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for right hip, knee, left foot, and right foot conditions. The Veteran's PTSD claim was also reopened.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and for further medical examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right-lower-extremity sensory loss, secondary to his service-connected right-knee fractured patella. The decision found that there was no evidence of a current disability and that the Veteran’s subjective sensory loss did not have any direct causal relationship with his service-connected right-knee disorder.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, with no higher ratings possible under the applicable VA rating criteria. The Veteran’s left hip disability is currently rated at 30 percent.,A new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's left hip disability.