Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability was incurred during a period of inactive duty training (INACDUTRA) and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, alopecia areata, left knee disability, and right knee disability due to incomplete records and need for additional examination.

The Board has found that there is no evidence of a left knee, low back, or shoulder disability in service and the Veteran did not have complaints referable to these conditions during his active duty. The current disabilities were first noted decades after separation from service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and medical opinions to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disability and left knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability and an initial compensable rating for left knee injury. The Veteran's respiratory condition was not found, and the knee issue is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further development and examination, including testing of left knee range of motion in different modalities as required by VA regulations. Service connection for a left ankle condition is also remanded due to the need for an opinion on whether it was incurred during service or caused/aggravated by other service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's left leg disability, including fibular fracture, left knee arthritis, and left tibia, is rated at 10 percent. Service connection for the left ankle disability was granted in a May 2016 rating decision. The right ankle disability is not related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a new VA examination and review of additional evidence, including recent treatment records and medical opinions. The issues include service connection for a lumbar spine disorder as secondary to the service-connected left knee disability, and rating adjustments for osteoarthritis of the left knee.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the disorders were noted on entrance to service and did not increase in severity during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left knee disability and a need for further examination. The right knee issue is not addressed as it was not adjudicated by the RO.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but further development is needed as the VA has not yet examined him to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 10 percent, effective March 27, 2019. The issue of a separate noncompensable rating for muscle atrophy of the right knee was granted.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for myofascial syndrome is dismissed. The claim of service connection for a right knee disorder is reopened, but the claims for service connection for left knee disorders, right hip disorders, and left hip disorders are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher evaluation of his service-connected left knee disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating prior to October 10, 2018, and from October 10, 2018 forward.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip arthritis and left total hip replacement, but remanded the claims for right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, right hip osteoarthritis, and left leg length discrepancy. The temporary total convalescence rating claim is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for schizophrenia and an increased rating for his left knee disability. The TDIU claim was also remanded due to its inextricability with the other issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates for various service-connected conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, sleep apnea, nerve problems (to include left side paralysis), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The appeals are dismissed as without legal merit.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than September 8, 2003 and a disability rating for his right knee degenerative joint disease. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate medical examination, and requires a new one with a VA examiner to determine if the Veteran's right knee condition is related to service or his service-connected left knee condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral wrist pain, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), right knee pain, and right leg shin splints as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.