Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as there is no evidence to support her assertions of in-service injury or a current disability related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, as well as his claim to reopen the left knee disorder, have been granted. The appeal regarding a rating in excess of 20 percent for neck disc problem, a compensable rating for post-traumatic headaches, and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss are denied. Service connection has also been denied for PTSD, left elbow disorder, and left knee disorder.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including back, right hip, and knee disabilities. The main reasons are the inability to determine if these conditions were incurred during active duty due to incomplete personnel records from the Air Force Reserve and Army National Guard, and the need for further examinations to assess whether current disabilities are secondary to service-connected foot and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral chondromalacia patella is no longer present due to total knee arthroplasty in 2010. The claim for a compensable rating for this condition has been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a right knee and right leg disability, left knee and left leg disability, and lower back disability due to lack of evidence establishing an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at a 10 percent rating for limitation of flexion and a separate 20 percent rating for meniscal condition with frequent episodes of joint locking, pain, and effusion.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as additional development is needed to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities and nonservice-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions and incomplete development.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to April 3, 2014, for the award of service connection for a right knee injury is denied. The January 1981 rating decision denying service connection was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Veteran is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to her service-connected low back degenerative disc disease with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, exercise-induced asthma, and chronic right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened and granted. The Board found new and material evidence to support the reopening of his claims, including treatment records indicating a diagnosis of PTSD. Secondary service connection was also granted for GERD. Other issues were remanded for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for post-operative total left hip replacement, a left knee condition (claimed as a left leg condition), bilateral shoulder conditions (claimed as secondary to non-service connected left hip and left leg conditions), and a right hip condition (claimed as secondary to non-service connected left hip and left leg conditions).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disability and entitlement to TDIU due to lack of evidence showing that his right knee disabilities caused or aggravated his left knee disability, and because he had other skills and education that allowed him to work.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and bilateral foot gout due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service.,No current disability was found in any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury, previously characterized as headaches, was reopened. The Board found new and material evidence to support the reopening of this claim. Service connection is granted for bilateral knee disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, right hand disorder, and back disorder. However, service connection for residuals of flesh wound of the right leg is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and an opinion regarding whether her service-connected disabilities render her permanently and totally disabled.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence and internal inconsistencies in the Veteran's claims file. The Veteran will need to provide VA treatment records, including those related to orthopedic treatment, and an examination will be scheduled to determine if his prescribed appliances and medications cause damage to his clothing.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. Service connection for bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral knee disorder, tinea pedis, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), and bruxism are all denied.

The Veteran's left total knee replacement is rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's right total knee replacement was initially rated at 60 percent and then reduced to 30 percent. The appeal is for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient opinions regarding his lumbar spine disability and bilateral knee disabilities, as well as the need for a new VA examination.