Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's current osteoarthritis of the right knee is related to his in-service injury, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for pes cavus, hammertoes, bilateral knee disability, and back disability due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran will need a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to service or aggravated by his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee retropatellar pain syndrome were denied as the evidence did not show any of the required criteria for higher ratings, including ankylosis, recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, dislocated semilunar cartilage, symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage, limitation of flexion to 30 degrees or less, limitation of extension to 10 degrees or more, impairment of the tibia and fibula, or genu recurvatum.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder and knee disabilities as the evidence did not show they were incurred in or caused by military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her bilateral knee disabilities were denied. The left knee disability was rated as 10% disabling, and the right knee disability (including degenerative joint disease and semilunar cartilage removal) was also rated as 10% and 20% respectively.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, and bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing these conditions began during active duty or were related to military noise exposure.

The Board has denied a higher disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of left-wrist, cervical-spine, low-back, and left-knee disorders due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has not yet made a decision on the claims and is returning them for further development due to non-compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed for the claims of left knee degenerative changes and right knee scar, as well as the TDIU claim prior to September 15, 2016. The Veteran will need to provide authorization for VA to obtain private medical records from St. Clare's Hospital in Sussex, New Jersey, and any relevant VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of heart disability or fatigue, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied. The claims for left knee and depressive disorder are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for right lumbar myositis (low back condition), a left knee condition, obstructive sleep apnea, scars of the right flank, migraine headaches, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, nasal pterygium right eye with bilateral borderline intraocular pressure, diabetes mellitus, type II, and insomnia disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for lower back disorder, left knee disorder, and left hand numbness due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records from his in-service treatment and a VA examination is required.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and clarifying the status of his Substantive Appeal.

This decision grants a 40 percent disability rating for the Veteran's status post ruptured bladder, effective September 12, 2013. The Veteran also receives a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is rated as 100 percent disabling since January 2018.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left shoulder, low back, bilateral hip, and right ankle disabilities. The rating for post-concussion syndrome with cognitive disorder and adjustment disorder, with anxiety and insomnia is also being remanded for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right knee and right ankle disabilities. The effective date claim related to TDIU remains pending as it has not been adjudicated yet.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and knee replacement are at least as likely as not related to an injury in service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for atrial fibrillation, as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle disability. The case was also remanded for further examination regarding the Veteran's left knee disorder and liver disorder.,Service connection is not granted for any of the conditions listed.

The Veteran's claim for sleep disturbances is denied as the condition is not separate and distinct from his already service-connected sleep disorder.,Service connection for degenerative arthritis with muscle atrophy, joint, and muscle pain in the bilateral knees is denied due to lack of radiological confirmation within the appellate period. The Veteran is already service-connected for knee disorders.,The Veteran's claim for degenerative arthritis with muscle atrophy, joint, and muscle pain in the right shoulder is remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran's left elbow and right knee disabilities are being reviewed again as they may be related to service.