Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's right knee disability case is being remanded due to incomplete records, including physical therapy follow-up after his partial knee replacement in October 2009. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen a claim for service connection for a back disability is granted. Service connection for the same condition is also granted.,Service connection for left hip arthritis, right hip arthritis, left knee arthritis, and right knee arthritis are all granted.

The Board has remanded the cases due to failure to comply with a previous remand order. The Veteran's left knee and left ankle disabilities need further examination to determine their severity.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his military service. The evidence did not establish continuity of symptomatology since service separation.

The Board is remanding the claims due to new evidence being added to the record since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) records, as well as private treatment records from Innovative Pain and Spine, have been associated with the case file. These documents must be reviewed by the AOJ for initial consideration.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to additional relevant VA treatment records not having been considered in a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations. The Veteran reported worsening symptoms since a previous examination in April 2014, including difficulty getting up from the bathroom, locking knees, falling due to instability, and using a wheelchair.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety disorder has been reopened and granted. Service connection is also granted for the left knee disability, which is considered secondary to his service-connected back and right knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to obtain medical records and for VA examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis and dyshidrotic eczematous dermatitis.

The Veteran's right knee surgery necessitated a temporary total evaluation from January 19, 2010 to March 31, 2010. The Board found that his convalescence continued until September 2010 and granted an extension of the temporary total evaluation from March 31, 2010 to August 31, 2010.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has granted separate ratings of 20 percent and 10 percent for right knee instability and locking, pain, and effusion, respectively. However, the case is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding range of motion throughout the claim period.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee and left ankle disabilities, finding that there is an evenly balanced evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to an inadequate examination in August 2017. The Veteran's active service from September 1993 to June 1997 is noted, with a December 1995 service treatment record indicating bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate VA examinations, specifically regarding functional limitations during flare-ups of left knee and left thigh disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and knee disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence. Additional VA examinations will be conducted to assess the current severity of his conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, leaving no issues to be decided by the Board.

The Veteran's claims for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for DJD of the left and right knees have been remanded due to inadequate examination reports. A new examination is required that includes testing for both passive and active motion, as well as non-weight-bearing and weight-bearing conditions.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is granted service connection. The appeals for the left knee, right knee, low back, and GERD are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right knee disability, and a kidney disorder have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of PTSD or other mental health conditions related to military service, and there was no chronicity of symptoms since service. For the right knee disability, the Veteran's arthritis was not shown within one year of separation from service, and continuity of symptomatology could not be established. The kidney disorder claim is pending as it has not been addressed in detail.

The Board has denied service connection for a right knee disorder and an initial compensable evaluation for inguinal hernia, finding no current disability or recurrent symptoms.