Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of left knee degenerative joint disease and right knee strain due to new evidence received by the Board. A supplemental medical opinion is needed from the September 2017 VA examiner.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as PTSD, is granted with an effective date of January 29, 1972.,Left knee instability and right knee instability are granted with an effective date of January 29, 1972. Left knee loss of extension is also granted with the same effective date.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete records and procedural errors.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of left and right knee arthritis, as well as postoperative scars associated with bilateral knees. The Board dismissed these issues.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a herniated disc, entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bursitis, left knee and bursitis, right knee claimed as a bilateral knee condition prior to January 26, 2016 and in excess of 10 percent thereafter, and entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for sciatica of the left lower extremity.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate VA examination opinions regarding functional loss and limitation of motion during flare-ups, as well as whether the Veteran's right knee disability warrants a separate rating under DC 5257.

The Board has denied service connection for left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain VA examinations and medical opinions for the Veteran's knee disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, and varicose veins claims due to deficiencies in the current evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional examinations and records to assess the current severity of the Veteran's knee and back disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to inadequate VA examinations in previous decisions. The Veteran is also being asked to provide information regarding flare-ups of his disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees, finding that there was no evidence linking the current condition to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding functional loss caused by pain, weakness, fatigue, and lack of endurance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, fibromyalgia, COPD, and sleep apnea have been dismissed. The claim for increased ratings for psychiatric disability and atrial fibrillation has also been dismissed.,The claim for service connection for a back disability is reopened but remanded due to insufficient evidence in the previous VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for low back pain, left lower extremity pain, bilateral knee conditions, and asthma due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities have been granted increased ratings, with the left knee receiving a separate rating for instability and right knee receiving separate ratings for both instability and limitation of extension.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, respiratory disorder, heart disorder, and bilateral lower extremity nerve disorder. The decision also remanded the issue of service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's right knee disability is being remanded for additional examination and testing to determine its current severity.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and he is now entitled to a new VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's right knee condition is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding whether it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome is remanded due to the need for an adequate examination.