Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, peptic ulcer disease, back disability, and bilateral knee disability. The cases are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded two issues: left knee strain and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, due to lack of recent VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee pain, Achilles tendonitis (claimed as bilateral heel pain), a sleep disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The issues are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including arthritis and knee/foot issues. The reasons are that VA failed to obtain relevant in-service medical records and did not have a fully informed decision due to lack of opinions from VA examiners regarding the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for SMC (o) and need for regular aid and attendance was granted. The Veteran has been in receipt of the correct payment for his combined disability rating since August 2005.

The Board denied compensation for a cervical spine disability and left knee arthritis under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 1151 due to lack of additional disability resulting from the July 2008 fall.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for osteoarthritis of the back, bilateral shoulders, and bilateral knees, as well as his claim for benign prostate hypertrophy with urinary obstruction secondary to diabetes mellitus and medications taken for service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all outstanding VA treatment records from 1989 to the present, including those from the Michigan Healthcare Systems and VA Clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They are also directed to conduct any additional development needed and obtain an addendum opinion regarding these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied as new and material evidence had not been received. The Board found that the Veteran did not provide any evidence linking his hypertension to service or a service-connected disability.,The Veteran's claim for increased rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity is remanded due to lack of recent medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left knee, lumbar spine, and psychiatric disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The VA is required to obtain relevant medical records, verify in-service stressors, and provide further examinations.

The Veteran's cervical spine strain with disc bulge is rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The right shoulder DJD and both knee chondromalacia conditions are each rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and left ear tinnitus as the evidence did not show these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right knee, thoracolumbar spine, and heart disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess their current severity.

The Veteran's left knee strain rating is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the December 2016 VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of the record.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an extraschedular rating for left knee DJD and a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for left total knee arthroplasty and remanded both issues due to inadequate examination findings. The appeal is also remanded for TDIU as it is inextricably intertwined with the issue of an increased rating for the Veteran’s left knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral knee disability. The Veteran's claim for psychiatric disorder was denied as there is no competent medical evidence to show that he has any diagnosed psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lower and middle back condition was denied due to lack of medical evidence linking the current condition to his military service. The Board found no new and material evidence submitted since the April 2015 denial, thus denying the reopening of this claim. The claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee disabilities and foot disabilities are remanded as additional examinations are needed.

Service connection for a cervical spine disability, bilateral hip disability, and bilateral knee disability is denied.,The evidence does not establish that these disabilities are related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased rating for various lower extremity disabilities, including bilateral hip disorders, bilateral knee disorders, and a left foot disorder. The issues are being referred back to VA for additional medical opinions and consideration of new evidence.