Knee decisions — 2018

The claim of service connection for bilateral knee disability is reopened and remanded due to the need for a VA medical opinion on whether the condition is related to service, secondary to back or psychiatric disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to a lack of a VA examination, and requests that he provide records from any treatment providers.

The Veteran's right knee conditions have been rated and the ratings for limitation of extension, ligamentous laxity, and dislocated semilunar cartilage are granted. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability is granted from June 7, 2010, and an extraschedular TDIU is granted from October 14, 2009. The ratings for ligamentous laxity and limitation of extension were restored to their previous levels.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes, and his hypertension is rated as noncompensable. The Veteran's PTSD, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the knees, and tinnitus are all currently rated appropriately. The appeal is remanded for further development on issues related to service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his claimed lower back disorder, right hip disorder as secondary to a lower back disorder, and right knee disorder as secondary to a lower back disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including left and right hand disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, as the evidence did not establish a relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder (secondary to posttraumatic arthritis of the right knee), hypertension, cepahlgia, cervicothoracic spine disorder, thoracic spine disorder (low back condition), bilateral hip condition, and left sciatic radicular pain have been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for these conditions are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings in September 2018, and the Board has dismissed these claims.

The Board denied reopening the claims for right hip and right leg disorders due to lack of service connection.,The Veteran's fall at a VA facility did not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 as his injuries were not caused by care, treatment or examination provided by VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for joint and muscle pain, lower back condition, left knee condition, and gastrointestinal symptoms are denied. The Board has remanded the PTSD and eligibility for treatment issues.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability and an increase in tinnitus have been denied.,The Board has found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating for his service-connected tinnitus, as he is already receiving the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.

The Veteran's lumbar spine and knee DJD disabilities are being remanded for further development due to inadequate previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing private medical records. The Veteran is required to provide authorization for VA to obtain these records from his listed providers.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability contributed to his death from drug intoxication.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions on the nature and etiology of any left knee disorder and right leg disorder. The Veteran's service-connected left hip disability is alleged to have caused or aggravated these disorders.

The Veteran's appeal was not decided on the merits of his service connection claims, as they were remanded for further evaluation. The appeals for increased ratings and TDIU are denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for limitation of motion and instability associated with his left knee disabilities have been denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD with anxiety, left knee disorder, and tension headaches secondary to tinnitus have been granted. The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disorder and sleep disorder claims remain denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for knee disabilities due to insufficient examination findings and requests a new VA examination.