Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and the impact of service-connected disabilities on his health.

The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 10 percent for his left knee disability is remanded due to deficiencies in the October 2018 VA examination report, which did not comply with range of motion requirements as established by Correia v. McDonald and Mitchell v. Shinseki.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple myeloma, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § § 1151 for left hip replacement and related complications, as well as compensation under 38 U.S.C. § § 1151 for left and right knee DJD and lumbar spine DJD.,The Veteran's claims are remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his service connection claim for multiple myeloma, as well as his claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § § 1151 for hip replacement complications and related joint issues.

The Veteran's nephrolithiasis is granted with a 30% rating from February 23, 2007 to October 24, 2017.,Other claims for service connection and disability ratings are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not improved, and the Board has ordered additional VA examinations to assess their current severity.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a skin disability of the feet. The case is being returned to the examiner for clarification on whether the Veteran's onychomycosis of the feet had its clinical onset during active service or is related to any incident of service, including exposure to herbicide agents, and if it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including meniscal impairment and subluxation/instability, has been granted with a 10 percent rating since August 4, 2011. The ratings for limitation of flexion and extension have also been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for left knee patellofemoral syndrome, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and left knee instability due to a lack of information regarding flare-ups and functional loss during such.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected Depressive Disorder, Left Knee Chondromalacia Patella, and Low Back Disorder.

The Veteran's initial increased rating for DDD, lumbar spine is granted from April 17, 2017. However, his claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee osteoarthritis remains remanded.,Service connection claims for a right foot disability and pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) are also remanded.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any right knee disorder, as well as the severity of the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The case is being remanded for additional VA examinations and consideration of outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, left knee, right foot skin condition (jungle rot and onychomycosis), and left foot skin condition (jungle rot and onychomycosis).,The appeal as to the claim of entitlement to service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, to include as secondary to a right and/or left knee disorder is remanded.,The appeal as to the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder is remanded.,The appeal as to the claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder is remanded.,The appeal as to the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right foot skin condition, claimed as jungle rot and onychomycosis, is remanded.,The appeal as to the claim of entitlement to service connection for a left foot skin condition, claimed as jungle rot and onychomycosis, is remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the bilateral hips and knees due to herbicide exposure, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or any in-service injury.

The Veteran's right knee disability is manifested by painful motion, and the Board has determined that a rating in excess of 10 percent for this condition is not warranted.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current left ankle disability or right ankle disability at any time during the pendency of the claim. The Veteran's representative argued for service connection based on secondary aggravation by his service-connected right knee disability, but this theory was not supported by medical evidence.,For the left foot and right foot disabilities, additional VA examination is needed to determine if they are aggravated by a service-connected right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral knee arthritis, bilateral shoulder arthritis, gastrointestinal disability, headaches, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome. The reasons given were that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or relationship to service.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee joint and muscle conditions, as well as shoulder joint and muscle conditions. The evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's current disabilities and his military service.,There was no medical literature or in-service records supporting a nexus between the Veteran's current diagnoses (left and right PFS and rotator cuff tendonitis) and his service.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and examination, including service connection claims for sleep apnea, a skin condition, bilateral knee conditions, lumbosacral condition, gastritis, GERD, and thyroid condition.

The claim for service connection for an angioplasty with stent placement of the distal left extracranial internal carotid artery is denied as there is no evidence linking it to in-service symptoms or trauma. The claim for a right knee disability will be addressed separately.