Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral ankle sprain and bilateral knee tendinitis/tendinosis (bilateral knee disability) as these conditions are related to in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examinations and functional loss evaluations for the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his total right knee replacement is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding flare-ups.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction (ED) is dismissed. The Veteran’s prostate cancer claim was denied, and his COPD claim was also denied. The Board has remanded several other issues including service connection for Lyme disease, arthritis of various joints, chronic fatigue, gout, rashes, memory loss, and Bell's Palsy.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a right knee disability and hearing loss, as there are insufficient opinions regarding whether his pre-existing conditions were aggravated by service or if his current disabilities warrant an initial compensable rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee condition (osteoarthritis) and a left knee scar, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to September 25, 2018. From September 25, 2018, the rating remained at 10 percent for limitation of flexion. The Board denied a higher rating based on additional functional impairment and lack of evidence of limitation of motion.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee, back, and hearing loss disabilities have rendered him unemployable in the context of his education, training, and prior work experience. The Board has granted a TDIU throughout the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to incomplete development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing a comprehensive VA examination. The issues are intertwined as they both involve the Veteran's post-service occupational history.

The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia patella and instability are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his symptoms do not more nearly approximate those required for a higher rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and right hip disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and an in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability, concluding that there is no current diagnosis or functional impairment.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his left knee condition has been dismissed as he requested to withdraw the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral femur stress fractures and bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded for additional examinations to assess their current severity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability, including a meniscal tear and osteoarthritis, is related to his military service. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete records and a missing VA examination report. The Veteran's claims for compensable ratings for left knee patellofemoral syndrome and migraine headaches are pending.

The Veteran's bilateral calcaneal osteophytosis is found to have proximately caused his right and left knee arthritis, resulting in service connection for these conditions.,Veteran's bilateral calcaneal osteophytosis has been granted increased ratings of 30 percent each for right and left calcaneal osteophytosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to incomplete development of evidence.,Additional examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran’s bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for upper back, left ring finger nerve damage, hypertension, and right knee disabilities have been denied.,The Veteran's bilateral foot disability has not resulted in a higher rating than 30 percent.