Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand several service connection and increased rating claims due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a VA examination.

The Board dismissed the appeals for ratings in excess of 40 percent for a lumbar strain and right knee disability, as well as service connection for right hip pain and neck pain due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for any of the claimed conditions, and therefore service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee instability and residuals of a medial meniscectomy with DJD were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current left knee disability is related to an in-service injury or if it was aggravated by service. The case will be reviewed with additional medical examination and opinion.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective from August 1, 2001. The rating has been granted for moderate subluxation or lateral instability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back pain and bilateral knee pain, but finds that further development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease and related symptoms are rated, but the left knee disability remains unresolved. The Board has remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records, particularly those from 1978 onwards. The Veteran's knee condition is being reviewed again with a new examiner.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities due to incomplete testing in the previous examination. The claims for increased ratings and effective dates are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient medical records from his period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and the need to obtain additional private treatment records.

The Veteran's service in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and Oklahoma Air National Guard resulted in no time on Federal active duty. The Board found that there is no evidence of an in-service event, injury or disease for his claimed disabilities.,The Veteran was denied service connection for sleep apnea as there is no probative evidence establishing an 'in-service event' during active service and the current disability may not be related to any alleged in-service event.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been withdrawn. The Board has dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for headaches, rhinitis/sinusitis, low back disorder, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, right elbow disorder, and chest pain. Service connection has also been denied for hyperlipidemia.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee and left knee, but denied any effective date prior to February 23, 2009.

The Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including major depressive disorder, was granted. A separate rating of 20 percent for right knee locking symptoms is also granted. The claims regarding left knee and shoulder disorders are remanded due to the need to consider whether new and material evidence has been received.

The Board has granted service connection for depression, headaches, and sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus, depression, and medication use. Service connection was denied for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, colon cancer, skin cancer, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine arthritis, right shoulder degenerative joint disease, left knee disability, and left elbow carpal tunnel syndrome with ulnar nerve involvement have been denied. The VA has determined that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine were granted service connection. The right and left knee disabilities were denied, but an earlier effective date for the low back disability was granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine was granted, with a 30 percent rating effective September 21, 2011. The issue of radiculopathy associated with this condition is also remanded.,Service connection for left knee disorder and right ankle disorder are both denied. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also denied.