Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain adequate medical opinions detailing the nature and etiology of the appellant's disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied due to her failure to report for a VA examination scheduled in March 2017.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, status post lumbar fusion was denied as there is no evidence showing forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less, or favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative joint disease of the right knee was denied as there is no evidence showing flexion limited to 30 degrees, or extension limited to 15 degrees; or ankylosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's disabilities of the right upper extremity, left knee, and low back were not incurred during his honorable period of active service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right and left knees, PTSD, and major depressive disorder have been denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental opinion from an appropriate examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee condition and whether it is related to his service-connected left knee condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased evaluations for his residual scars of the left knee, service connection for a rectal/anal disorder (including hemorrhoids, anal fissure and anal stricture) and pilonidal cyst, and service connection for a right shoulder disorder. The claim to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess his current disability picture.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted. The claims for insomnia, high fever, gonorrhea, residuals of gunshot wound to the left knee, right elbow disorder, and residuals of injury to the left side of the neck are denied.

The Veteran withdrew his petitions to reopen the left ankle disability and right knee disability claims, thus the cases are dismissed.

The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for a right leg injury, including right knee degenerative joint disease, incurred or aggravated during ACDUTRA service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee and lumbar spine disorders, as well as whether service connection should be granted. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral shoulder and knee conditions, oral surgery residuals, temporal arteritis, back disability, prostate cancer, colon cancer, coronary artery disease (CAD), bilateral hearing loss, left eye disability, and right eye disability have all been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial disability ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's duodenal ulcer was rated at 10 percent prior to March 9, 2015 and increased to 20 percent effective from that date. The right knee disability was rated at 10 percent and the right ankle disability was rated at 10 percent prior to March 24, 2011, with both disabilities receiving a 20 percent rating effective from that date.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the identification of relevant medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Board granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the right and left knees as secondary to bilateral pes planus and ankle disabilities.,However, the claims were vacated due to failure to adjudicate on a direct-incurrence basis.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, including osteoarthritis of the right knee and residuals of a total left knee replacement. The issues of increased ratings for lumbar spine DDD and lower extremity radiculopathy have been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability is granted, and his hearing loss disability is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities (pain with patellar tendonitis) have been granted a 10 percent disability rating prior to May 14, 2014.