Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's back and knee disabilities are being remanded for additional examinations to determine their current severity.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and that the current condition is not related to military service.

The Veteran's lumbar strain and left knee conditions have been granted initial ratings, with the lumbar strain receiving a 20% rating effective from November 6, 2003. The left knee conditions received separate ratings.

The Board has ordered additional development due to incomplete records and the need for a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee disorder.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability and remanded it for further development. The Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome claim is also being remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination of the Veteran's right knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left hip degenerative joint disease and left total knee arthroplasty, as well as his claim of service connection for a low back disability. Additional development is needed to determine the extent of functional loss due to pain in both conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's right knee condition is related to her service. The claim will be reviewed again with updated VA treatment records and a new examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from May 23, 2016 to August 29, 2017 was denied as he was employed during this time and not in marginal employment. The right knee disability claim is remanded for a new VA examination.

The Board has not decided the service connection claims for right and left knee disorders, but has reopened the claim of tinnitus. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disorders due to new evidence received since the last denial. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, increased ratings for stress reactions of the left and right lower extremities with knee impairment, and obtaining VA treatment records and examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee condition and a right hip condition, with the latter being secondary to the former. The Board found that there is no evidence linking the current conditions to service or any presumptive period.

Service connection was restored for TBI and right shoulder strain. The Veteran's left foot hallux valgus and Osgood Schlatter's disease of the right knee were not granted increased ratings.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis was not shown to be related to his military service and no current disability has been established. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee strain and bilateral hip strain as secondary to her right knee disability are being readjudicated.,Her claim for an increased evaluation for her right knee disorder is denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for left knee disability, hemorrhoids, right shoulder scar, or cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions regarding his claims of right knee osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis (claimed as lower back), and squamous cell carcinoma involving the face.

The Board has determined that the reduction in ratings for right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right knee instability were not proper. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased evaluations for right knee scars and left femur surgical scars are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disability. The VA is required to obtain an additional medical opinion to determine if the current condition is related to his in-service injury.