Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 20 percent for limitation of flexion and 10 percent for limitation of extension, effective November 28, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, lumbar spinal strain, hypertension, and dysthymic disorder are remanded due to the need for new examinations to assess the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings of his left knee disabilities and potential claims for service connection for disability of the hands and feet are being remanded. The SMC claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these other issues.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient development and need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hip, back, shoulder, and knee disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The right knee and left knee disability claims are remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a direct or secondary relationship to her service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions and examination reports regarding the Veteran's right knee disability and left knee disability. The cases will be reviewed again after obtaining additional evidence.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a right shoulder disability has been denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The VA is remanding the cases related to his left leg radiculopathy, right leg radiculopathy, scar associated with status-post discectomy of lumbar spine with DDD, TDIU, left knee disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted. The effective date is set at the date of receipt of the new evidence, which is April 20, 2016.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to lack of adequate current evidence and need for a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for left knee disorder and restored a 30% rating for limitation of right knee extension. The Board also remanded issues regarding back disorder, left hip disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination reports, and a new retrospective medical opinion is needed regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability during the period from February 18, 2010 through November 4, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral hearing loss. The claims for service connection for low back, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities are remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus and coronary artery disease have been granted service connection. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied due to lack of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology. The skin disorder claim remains pending as no VA examiner has provided an opinion on its etiology. Service connection for hypertension is also pending, with the issue being whether it is related to herbicide exposure. Low back and knee disorders are still under consideration.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining STRs for his Army Reserves service and an addendum medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection are not granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and a bilateral knee disability, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions had their onset during active service.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and denied the reopening of claims for service connection for degenerative changes of the left knee and right knee. The claim for service connection for the lumbar spine is supported by new evidence, while the claims for knees are not.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hip disability as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The case is also remanded for consideration of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities, service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension secondary to his major depressive disorder, as well as for a VA examination in each case.