Knee decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his service-connected right hand middle finger distal interphalangeal joint injury, right knee strain, and left knee strain as there was no factually ascertainable increase in disability within one year prior to September 2013.

The Veteran is unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, degenerative arthritis of the knees, hypertension, obesity, IVDS with secondary obesity, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The Board has granted a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability prior to September 14, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings due to insufficient evidence from a recent VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of various lower and upper extremity disorders, as well as a left shoulder disorder, to allow for additional development. The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disorder is found to be at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot, right knee, and left hip disabilities due to incomplete development. The appeals are now considered on appeal from original claim of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities, including left ankle, knee, shoulder, low back, foot hallux valgus, metatarsalgia, IBS, and migraine headaches, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on limitation of motion or other criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar, left knee, right knee, and skin disabilities due to incomplete information in the records and the need for further examinations.

The Veteran's reduced rating for left hip strain with limitation of abduction, adduction, and rotation is restored to 10 percent.,A 10 percent rating effective December 8, 2015, for limited flexion of the left knee is granted.,The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right hip condition is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee DJD status post arthroscopic chondroplasty of the right medial femoral condyle from February 22, 1990, to October 31, 2007 is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of his condition during that period.

The Board denied reopening of the claims for bilateral hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's right knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and depression have been reopened. The remaining claims are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50% prior to July 27, 2016 and 70% thereafter. The Board denied an increased rating for PTSD.,An earlier effective date of April 19, 2012 for the grant of service connection for PTSD was denied.

The Veteran's lung cancer is granted as service connected due to exposure in Hiroshima, Japan. His right knee arthritis remains at a 10% rating.

The Board has denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and dismissed claims for sleep apnea, hypertension. The Veteran's appeals of other issues have been withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence. The claims will be reconsidered with additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of various conditions, including bilateral knee disability, heart disability, inflammatory joint disability (gout), left shoulder disability, bilateral hip disability, and skin disability. The issues are related to direct service connection rather than presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are rated at a 10 percent rating each under Diagnostic Code 5260 for limitation of flexion. Separate ratings of 10 percent each are granted for instability under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee arthritis and its relationship to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal for the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disorder was dismissed as the Veteran requested its withdrawal during his July 2018 Board hearing.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service injury and that there is continuity of symptomatology since service.