Knee decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for depression as secondary to aortic valve replacement disability due to lack of evidence of current diagnosis. The claims for gout, left knee disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, and left kidney disability are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability and bilateral hearing loss as there is no competent medical evidence of current disabilities, and the Veteran's subjective complaints do not meet the criteria for functional impairment.

The Veteran's left knee instability is granted a separate 10 percent evaluation, but not higher. The effective date for the award of a separate 20 percent evaluation for locking and dislocation of the semilunar cartilage remains December 28, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability was denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted. The left ankle disability is currently rated at 10%.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations of various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,Service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is denied.

The Board has granted effective dates of October 22, 1997 for service connection of left knee strain, right knee strain, and right knee instability.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee disorder claim should be remanded for further action due to potential SSA and state disability benefits records.

The Board has not decided the service connection claims for low back and left knee disabilities. The claim for low back disability was denied as new and material evidence had not been submitted, while the claim for left knee disability is remanded for further examination.

The Board is remanding the claims for fibromyalgia, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and TDIU prior to January 25, 2018 due to new evidence received since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding the severity of his knee conditions.

The Veteran's recurrent callus right foot by ball began during active service and is granted. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition and its impact on daily activities.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no further action can be taken on this case.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability worsened during service, and thus granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected left knee laxity and entitlement to a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) prior to August 16, 2017 have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing her appeal.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and missing VA records. The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are at issue, along with his TDIU claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee condition, finding that there was no evidence linking his current disability to his military service or any service-connected conditions. The VA medical opinions provided were against the claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional records and clarification of certain terms used in a VA Form 10-7131 dated October 12, 1973. The Veteran's claim is not about service connection but rather an effective date for his increased rating.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee patellofemoral syndrome as secondary to a shell fragment wound and fracture of the right femur, finding that the Veteran's condition is proximately due to his service-connected injuries.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left knee sprain and degenerative joint disease, as well as left knee medial meniscal tear. The decision is based on the need for a new VA examination due to inadequate information regarding the severity of the Veteran's reported flare-ups.