Knee decisions — 2018

The case is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling an examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left knee osteomalacia.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral knee disability and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed because the Veteran and his representative withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's right knee and bilateral foot disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine their current severity.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for rib-fracture residuals and residual surgical scars of the right knee, right shoulder, and left foot are being remanded due to incomplete evaluations. The Veteran must provide a response to the Statement of the Case or have his appeal perfected by submitting a timely substantive appeal.

The Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating based on his audiometric test results. The claims for service connection of left knee disability, sleep disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including post traumatic stress disorder and depressive disorder) were remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The appeals for service connection of right knee, left knee, and left ankle disabilities have been dismissed.,The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent prior to July 20, 2013 for PTSD has been dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims of increased ratings for right knee, right leg, lumbar spine, and right eye disabilities due to new evidence indicating their severity may have changed since the last VA examinations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the previously denied claims for service connection of left knee and right knee disabilities. As a result, these issues are now considered by the Board.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right wrist, left knee chondromalacia, and right knee patellofemoral ligament strain disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development including new VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since at least February 8, 2007. The Board finds that the Veteran is entitled to an effective date of February 8, 2007 for the award of TDIU.

The Board dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's death prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen several service connection claims, but the Veteran's claim for a right thigh condition remains denied as there is no medical evidence linking the current condition to his active duty service. The other reopened claims are also denied due to lack of competent medical evidence.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of glaucoma, and the Board finds that there is no evidence to support service connection for this condition.,There is insufficient evidence to establish an in-service injury or event related to the neck condition. The preponderance of the evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's current neck disability did not originate during service.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board found no evidence to warrant an increased rating and denied the claim for a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities not meeting the schedular criteria.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to September 13, 2011 and since November 1, 2012. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or arthritis.,For residuals of total left knee replacement, the Veteran was granted a 30 percent rating effective from November 1, 2012. The Board determined that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disability and an increased evaluation for his right knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for Osgood Schlatter's disease of the knees, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma were denied. The VA found that the conditions did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee instability is granted. The issues of entitlement to initial compensable ratings for wrist conditions and service connection for hand, shoulder, and foot conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.,Specifically, the Veteran’s left wrist fracture with residual sprain does not show ankylosis. His lumbar spine disability is not manifested by ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine. The right knee and left knee degenerative arthritis do not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion. The bilateral ankle degenerative joint disease are rated at 10% each.