Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the Veteran's dishonorable discharge from active military service. The tinnitus claim is granted, but other conditions are being remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations due to insufficient evidence, including a need for new VA examinations.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 10 percent ratings for his service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and iliotibial band syndrome, effective July 1, 2014.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as noncompensable prior to July 12, 2016. A separate rating of 10 percent for limitation of extension of the right knee is granted. The Veteran's left knee disability is also rated as noncompensable prior to July 12, 2016.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, and chronic depression (secondary to bilateral knee osteoarthritis) must be remanded due to insufficient evidence in the VA examiner's opinion.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of a 100 percent disability rating was dismissed. The appeal for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae was denied, and the appeal for separate disability ratings affecting the left knee was granted to August 14, 2009.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral degenerative joint disease of the knees as it did not begin during service or be related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's dizziness, headaches, and pes planus of the left foot have been granted service connection.,Service connection for tinnitus has also been granted. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is being remanded to determine its etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis of the spine is granted. The increased rating for lateral instability of the left knee and separate compensable rating for residuals of dislocated cartilage of the left knee are granted, effective June 9, 2016. The issue of entitlement to a total disability based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disability is remanded. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a foot disability is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as for additional examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right knee DJD and gout.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected lumbar strain disability and bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. A new VA examination is required to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The appeal for an initial compensable rating for hemorrhoids is dismissed. An initial compensable rating of no higher than 30 percent for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted, and the Veteran's right knee contusion and migraines are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee total arthroplasty and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylosis, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from May 24, 2013, to January 31, 2016. His TDIU claim is granted for this period.

The Veteran's appeals for initial noncompensable ratings for his right knee and right ankle disabilities are being remanded due to the need for updated medical examinations that comply with VA examination guidelines.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for annual clothing allowances for his right and left knee braces, as well as a second allowance for his back brace. The decision stated that the knee braces did not tend to wear out or tear his clothes, and that he was only entitled to one clothing allowance per appliance.

The Veteran's claims for left knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied. The claim for service connection of the acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has determined that a new VA examination is necessary to assess the current severity of his condition due to incomplete range of motion findings in the previous examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for various conditions due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his left knee disability and acquired psychiatric disorder do not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and he does not qualify for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disorder and psychiatric disorder due to inadequate examinations. The claims will be reviewed with additional medical opinions addressing all theories of entitlement.