Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed for the issues of service connection for sinusitis, headaches, and sleep apnea; an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee tendonitis with tendinosis; an initial disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD; and an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to June 3, 2016 and in excess of 20 percent since then for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's knee disabilities, specifically instability and range of motion/painful motion, are being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and for a new VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as arthritis of the left wrist and right wrist, all secondary to service-connected carotid artery disease. The claims for right knee disability and left wrist arthritis are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, hypertension, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder due to inadequate VA examination reports. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient development of evidence, particularly regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disability and hypertension. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional medical records and schedule examinations for a determination on service connection.

The Board has withdrawn the issue of special monthly pension and granted service connection for hypertension, bilateral knee disabilities, anxiety disorder, and remanded issues regarding a lumbar spine disability and a right eye disability.

The Board has remanded the case to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration of whether entitlement to a TDIU is warranted on an extraschedular basis due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient range of motion measurements and functional impact assessments in the December 2014 VA examination report. A new VA knee examination is required.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hip disability, and headaches, including as due to a service-connected lumbosacral spine disability. The decision also denied her request for an initial rating greater than 40 percent for her lumbosacral spine disability on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability was granted on August 1, 2011. The Board has denied the request to have the effective date changed from December 13, 2010 to October 1, 2009.

The application to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability was denied. The right knee rating reduction from 20% to 10% was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip strain and arthritis, left ankle degenerative joint disease, and right knee osteoarthritis have been granted with effective dates of June 21, 2018. The Veteran is also awarded a separate disability rating of 20 percent for impairment of the right thigh function.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee conditions were denied as the medical evidence did not support a rating in excess of 30 percent for decreased range of motion with DJD (extension) and 10 percent for chondromalacia patella, left knee (flexion).

The Veteran's right knee chondromalacia caused flexion limited to 120 degrees with pain, but did not result in extension of the leg limited to 15 degrees or loss of extension. The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for this period.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate responses to prior remands and the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability, specifically addressing additional loss of function during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his left and right knee patellofemoral syndrome due to inadequate examination findings.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination.

The Board has restored a 20% rating for the Veteran's left knee disability, effective June 1, 2014. The reduction from 20% to 10% was improper due to lack of actual improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted service connection. An initial separate rating of at least 10 percent for right knee instability and a separate 20 percent rating for right knee locking symptoms are granted.