Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his left leg disability and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for further development of evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection for PTSD were denied. The right wrist and left knee disabilities are rated at the minimum levels, and there is no indication of a new or material issue that would warrant reopening the claim for PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for left knee and right knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence of current disability status. The Veteran needs a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hip, knee, and ankle conditions due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, hypertension, and gastrointestinal disorder due to lack of current disability. The claims for right knee disability, hypertension, and gastrointestinal disorder are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for bronchitis and remanded the remaining issues due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's claims for left knee, bilateral shoulder, bilateral foot, headaches, erectile dysfunction, depression and anxiety, chest pains, blurred vision, and dizziness are pending.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and cause of the Veteran's right knee disability, hypertension, and sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various orthopedic conditions, including left elbow, right elbow, low back, left knee, and right knee conditions. The reasons include insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions and a need for further examination to address the Veteran's lay statements about chronic symptoms since service.

The Veteran's right knee condition is rated at 20 percent since February 16, 2012. The Board has granted special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person.,The claim for a higher rating for the right knee condition prior to February 16, 2012, is dismissed as the Veteran's highest disability rating was 40 percent from May 14, 2010.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for right ankle and left knee disabilities, fissure in ano (perianal abscess), and skin disability due to inadequate examinations conducted over five years ago. The Veteran will need new examinations to address his symptoms and functional impairments.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and bilateral knee disorders, rendered him unable to work in any active or sedentary position he might have been able to obtain with his background. The Board has granted an effective date of January 19, 2011 for the TDIU.

The Veteran's initial ratings for right and left knee disabilities are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran's entitlement to TDIU prior to November 22, 2010 is also denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right knee, left knee, and right foot disabilities have been denied. The VA determined that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating in any of these cases.

The Board has added over 300 pages of VA treatment records to the claims file, which may be relevant to the Veteran's appeals. The AOJ needs to review this new evidence and issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case before making a decision on the issues.

The Board denied service connection for lower back and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not have onset during his active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The Board has restored the separate 10 percent ratings for the Veteran's scar of the right knee, lateral and medial aspects due to improper reduction without applying the proper regulations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral hand condition, low back condition, and bilateral knee condition due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental condition and several other conditions was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for compensation purposes, as there was no impairment of maxilla, mandible, or temporomandibular articulation resulting from in-service trauma.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disability is related to service. A new VA examination will be scheduled to assess this issue.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for right knee pain, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and bilateral hip pain. However, these claims are all denied as they do not meet the criteria for service connection.