Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim to reopen the right hand numbness was not granted due to lack of new and material evidence. Increased ratings for the right knee, left cubital tunnel syndrome, and status post right wrist fracture were also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for some conditions, but denied for others. The appeal is granted to the extent of reopening and granting of service connection for cervical spine disability and bilateral lower extremity disabilities. Service connection was denied for Parkinson’s disease, left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, heart disability, constipation, GERD, neurogenic bladder, TIAs, left face drop (facial palsy), vocal cord dysfunction, left upper extremity atrophy, right upper extremity atrophy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. Service connection was not granted for sleep disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee and hip pains have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board denied service connection for left ankle, right knee, and sleep apnea disorders. The Veteran's vision disorder was also not granted service connection.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The claim was reopened due to new and material evidence, including a VA examination and a private opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of left knee, lower back, and right shoulder injuries for further efforts to obtain service medical records.

The Veteran's left knee arthritis is granted service connection. His left ear hearing loss is denied as not aggravated by his military service. The right knee strain with degenerative arthritis remains at a 10% rating, and the lumbar spine disability is remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, left hip condition, right hip condition, left knee condition, and right knee condition due to incomplete or missing records.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability, as previous opinions were inadequate.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, left knee meniscus tear post-surgery, psoriasis, and right eye keratitis due to conflicting medical evidence regarding his current hearing loss disability. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on in-service noise exposure, injury during service, or other potential causes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions have been denied. The claim for service connection of colon cancer is remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for ddd of the lumbosacral spine, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and osteoarthritis of the left knee due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claim for a TDIU due to lack of substantial compliance with previous directives and the need to obtain additional VA treatment records. The Veteran is also required to submit an updated formal application for TDIU.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for left elbow and low back conditions have been denied. The Board has also remanded the issues regarding his right knee condition and a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and depression, was granted. The claims for degenerative joint disease of the right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine were remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee are both granted service connection as they were incurred during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and the need for further development regarding a claim of service connection for substance dependence, claimed as secondary to the service-connected herniated disc, T6-7. The temporary total evaluation issue is also on hold until this development is completed.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's statements about his functional impairment from service-connected disabilities and the disability picture reflected in VA outpatient and examination reports. The Veteran requires assistance with daily living activities, including taking a bath in a tub, dressing himself except for putting on necessary compression hose, attending to the wants of nature (to ensure he is properly cleaned), and getting up from bed due to his left knee collapse.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis likely began during service and granted his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied reopening the claim for service connection of a left knee disability and granted service connection for PTSD. The right knee issue is remanded.