Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations of his right knee, left knee, and coronary artery disease due to incomplete VA examinations and possible worsening of conditions.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of arthritis in service or within one year thereafter and that his current osteoarthritis was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected plantar fasciitis.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral recurrent tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not caused by his military service. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus due to lack of in-service exposure or evidence of a compensable level within one year post-service. The claim for bilateral knee disability is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder and cervical spine disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee meniscus tear.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not properly adjudicated and requires further examination to determine if his current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has decided that new evidence must be considered to reopen claims for service connection of various disabilities, including knee and sinus issues. The case is being sent back to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) to review this new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of left knee meniscectomy is denied, but he is granted a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis of the left knee with limitation of motion in flexion.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for a left knee disability and a brain injury due to additional development being necessary.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral arthritis of the knees as there was no evidence showing a knee injury or condition during service, and the arthritis did not manifest within one year after separation from service. The VA examiner concluded that the arthritis is more likely related to age than service.

Service connection for DJD of the thoracolumbar spine as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities is granted.,An effective date earlier than January 30, 2015, for the grant of service connection for bilateral ankle and bilateral knee disorders is denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability has worsened since his last examination, and a new evaluation is needed to determine appropriate staged ratings.

The Board restored the Veteran's right knee disability rating from 10% to 30%, effective June 1, 2011, finding that the reduction was not proper due to sustained improvement in the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is denied for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right shoulder disability. The cervical spine and right knee issues are remanded, as well as the PTSD issue. TDIU is also remanded.

The Board has determined that new examinations are needed due to the Veteran's suggestion of worsening symptoms since his last VA examination in April 2014.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, hip and knee conditions, prostate disability, and erectile dysfunction. The claims are being returned for further development and examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee osteoarthritis and instability due to an apparent discrepancy in the degree of severity of his range of motion on flexion reported by the VA examiner. The Veteran is required to report for any necessary examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, numbness in the left hand, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The case is remanded for further development regarding the claim of numbness in the left hand.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left knee disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities due to insufficient examination findings. The Veteran is required to undergo additional medical examinations to determine if he currently has these conditions, and whether they are related to his military service.