Knee decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed right wrist, cervical spine, lower back, bilateral knee, and right ankle disorders as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and further development is required.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent since December 15, 2014. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right knee condition and entitlement to an increased rating for left knee degenerative joint disease due to potential inextricably intertwined with TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for post-concussion headaches, left knee strain, and right knee strain due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's hypertension and left knee disability were denied service connection, while a separate rating of 10 percent for arthritis was granted.

The Board has remanded the case for a medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's right knee disability is related to service or secondary to his service-connected injuries, including left calf muscle GSW injury and shrapnel scars. The effective date of the decision remains unclear due to the Veteran not submitting VA Form 21-8940.

The Board has remanded several issues for further adjudication due to the need for additional medical records and a determination of service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to obtain updated VA examinations of the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities due to incomplete examination in October 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected right total knee replacement disability is rated at 60%, and combined with other disabilities, meets the criteria for a TDIU. The Board finds that the Veteran cannot secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his service-connected left and right knee disabilities have been dismissed as he withdrew them prior to the decision. The Board also granted entitlement to individual unemployability (TDIU) due to multiple service-connected conditions preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bunions of the bilateral feet are not service-connected, and his left knee chondromalacia is rated at 10%.

The appeals have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, finding that the current 10 percent ratings adequately reflect the severity of her symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for left inguinal hernia status post surgery was dismissed. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for left knee and left foot disorders, as well as TDIU, due to the need for further examination.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The effective date for the 60 percent rating of his left knee disability is set at January 30, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his service-connected knee disabilities contributed to his fatal myocardial infarction.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for tinnitus and PTSD have been denied as there is no evidence of an earlier claim or intent to apply for benefits.,For the remaining issues, including service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, low back disability, skin rash, and initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, the case has been remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder tendinopathy with tears of the tendon and labrum, as well as osteoarthritis of the right knee. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection was also denied for bilateral hearing loss and erectile dysfunction (ED), which the Board found to be unrelated to service.

The Veteran's right knee disorder is characterized by marked knee disability, and he is granted a separate rating of 30 percent from July 30, 2009 forward for the right knee instability. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression and PTSD is granted an increased rating of 70 percent from February 28, 2011 forward.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left knee disability, specifically his claim that it may have started during a weekend drill in June 2006. The VA needs to verify this period of service and obtain any relevant medical records.