Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for knee disabilities due to new evidence added since the last supplemental statement of the case. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for Parkinson’s disease and diabetes mellitus, type II due to herbicide exposure in service is denied.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure in service is denied.,Service connection for hypertension secondary to ischemic heart disease is denied.,Bilateral knee disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and residuals of spider bite on the right hand are remanded for further examination and opinion.,Service connection for skin condition is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran is granted a clothing allowance due to his service-connected right knee disabilities causing wear and tear on his clothes.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his time in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for further evaluation of his conditions, particularly regarding his TBI and radiculopathy.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of a right knee disability. The rating reduction of the respiratory disability was not proper, and the 30 percent rating is restored from April 1, 2015.

The Board has remanded several issues, including the claims for a respiratory condition, lumbar spine disability, left and right ankle disabilities, bilateral pes planus, left hip disability (secondary to service-connected disability), right knee disability (secondary to service-connected disability), and sleep apnea. These issues will be addressed in further proceedings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment in a sedentary capacity. The Board denied the claim for TDIU.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of a left shoulder disability, right elbow disability, back disability, and right knee disability. The appeal concerning PTSD was also dismissed.,Service connection for these conditions was granted in an April 2018 rating decision.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, sciatica of the bilateral lower extremities, and a bilateral knee disability are denied. A 20% rating is granted for lumbosacral spine disability effective September 14, 2017.

The appeal seeking nonservice-connected pension is dismissed. The appeals for increased ratings of the lumbar spine and left knee injuries are denied, but a separate 10 percent rating is granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations, as well as compliance with recent court opinions regarding range of motion testing.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability and dental disability. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his current disabilities are related to service, specifically whether they were aggravated by ACDUTRA in 1991 for the left knee issue, or caused by a failure to exercise proper care during an in-service tooth extraction for the dental issue.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for a back disorder, as well as the ratings for right and left knee disabilities. The Veteran's representative argued that his current back disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. Additional information regarding flare-ups of the Veteran’s knee symptoms is needed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a torn medial meniscus, right knee is granted. The Board also remanded the case to obtain an updated VA examination of his left total knee arthroplasty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should receive new VA examinations and opinions for his flat feet and skin disorder claims because the February 2014 VA examiner's opinions are based upon inaccurate factual premises. The remanded matters include obtaining updated VA treatment records, a letter from the Veteran's treating podiatrist, and an opinion regarding any current skin disorders.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's knee and spinal disabilities, including increased ratings for right knee osteochondritis dessicans and instability, left knee osteochondritis dessicans, service connection for degenerative changes in the thoracolumbar spine, and service connection for degenerative changes in the cervical spine. The claims are remanded due to new evidence and need further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to insufficient evidence and need for updated examinations.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent, and his right knee instability is rated at 20 percent. The appeal for increased ratings or TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, pain disorder, and erectile dysfunction have been denied.,The Board found that the evidence did not establish a current disability for some of these conditions.