Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for low back disability, bilateral hip disability, right knee disability, and neurological disability of the right leg due to new evidence received since the last denial. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a sleep disorder, bilateral hearing loss, low back disorder, left knee disability, and right knee disability have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have any of these conditions at the time of his claim or since.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for service connection for a left knee condition, low back condition, left hip disability, and right hip disability has been granted.,Service connection is established for the Veteran’s left knee condition (to include residuals of a total left knee arthroplasty) as secondary to his service-connected right knee condition. Service connection is also established for his low back condition as secondary to his service-connected right knee condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including depression (claimed as PTSD), left knee patellar femoral syndrome, and left ankle tenosynovitis, were denied earlier effective dates.,Claims for service connection for lumbar strain and tinnitus were also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle disabilities as secondary to his service-connected right above the knee amputation. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to or aggravated by his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left-hand disorder, right-hand disorder, left eye disorder, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral shin splints, and low back disorder have all been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses or evidence of these conditions in the record.

The Veteran's low back disability is now rated at 20 percent from June 7, 2016. His right and left knee disabilities remain at 10 percent each.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders due to incomplete records, missing x-ray reports, and the need for additional VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral foot disabilities due to incomplete medical records and the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were not processed under the Fully Developed Claim (FDC) Program due to administrative reasons.,The Veteran’s gastroenteritis with IBS is assigned a maximum rating of 30 percent.

The appeal is granted as service connection for recurrent instability, right knee associated with stress fracture of the right tibia was improperly severed. The Veteran's mixed anxiety depressive disorder and related conditions are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including fibromyalgia, right shoulder disability, left arm and right arm disabilities, neck condition, right knee and ankle disabilities, bilateral ear condition, insomnia, abdominal pain, edema, skin irritation of the genitals, toe nail condition, and diabetes mellitus. The decision also reopened claims for service connection for some conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and she is now entitled to a 10% rating for right knee chondromalacia with degenerative arthritis. The claim for right knee instability has also been granted.

The Veteran's initial higher rating of 10 percent for left knee pellegrini-stieda syndrome (instability) is granted, effective November 18, 2010. The other service connection claims are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral pes planus was denied. The reduction of the left knee disability rating from 20% to 10% was not proper, and restoration of the 20% rating is granted. A higher (compensable) initial disability rating for right knee surgical scars is denied. An increased disability rating higher than 30% for residuals of right knee torn meniscus with chondromalacia is denied. An initial disability rating higher than 70% for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is denied. An initial disability rating higher than 10% for lumbar degenerative disc disease with spondylosis is denied. An initial disability rating higher than 10% for right lower extremity radiculopathy is denied. The effective date earlier than July 1, 2014 for the award of a 30 percent rating for the right knee disability is denied.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for a left knee disability and rating in excess of 10 percent prior to June 30, 2011, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for degenerative arthritis with spondylosis and bilateral facet disease of the lumbar spine. The remand is due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar and cervical spine disorders, as well as separate evaluations for right and left knee instability. The claim for a temporary total rating based on hospitalization in 2010 was also denied. The Veteran's headache disorder was not rated compensably.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, finding that they are related to his military service.

Your appeals have been dismissed because you requested to withdraw your appeal.

The Veteran's right knee brace and topical medication for his skin disability caused wear and tear to his clothing, leading to a grant of clothing allowances for the year 2015.