Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's left shoulder arthritis and impingement syndrome rotator cuff arthropathy are granted as service-connected.,Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for right ankle strain from February 24, 2016 is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his failure to report for VA examinations. The claims will be remanded to schedule new examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine if his knee and spine disorders, hearing loss, respiratory disorder, and hemorrhoids are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied.,No effective dates were assigned as the Veteran was discharged from active service on April 10, 2014.

The Board has restored the 20% disability ratings for right ankle sprain with calcaneal spurs and left knee osteoarthritis, but denied restoration of the 10% rating for left knee ACL reconstruction.

The Board has remanded the claims for a back disorder, right knee disorder, and left calf disorder due to incomplete service records. The Veteran's service dates need to be verified, and VA examinations are required to determine if any of these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for several disability rating claims and service connection claim, effectively dismissing all of them.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the record. The VA is required to obtain private treatment records from the Center for Primary Care in Augusta, Georgia, associated with the Veteran's 2005 left knee arthroplasty surgery. A VA examination must be conducted to determine if the Veteran’s current left knee disability was proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability and whether his hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board dismissed both appeals regarding increased rating and earlier effective date for the left knee condition as the Veteran requested to withdraw his appeals.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of dislocated right knee was denied as the disability does not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on limitation of motion.

The Board has found insufficient evidence to adjudicate the Veteran's claims for neck, low back, and left knee disabilities. The Veteran must be afforded examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling based on recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, and as 10 percent disabling based on limitation of flexion. The Board has remanded the case for additional examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's symptoms during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions. The Veteran's right knee disability remains on appeal, as does his cervical spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee disorders due to insufficient information provided by a previous VA examination.

The Board denied an extension of the temporary total rating based on surgery necessitating convalescence for the service-connected right knee disability beyond March 31, 2014.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims regarding his right knee disability, bilateral foot disability, and right knee surgical scars due to insufficient evidence. The issues of service connection for tinnitus, left knee disability, and right knee disability are still under consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee arthritis is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate opinions from previous VA examiners. The Veteran asserts that his current bilateral knee and right hip disabilities are related to cumulative impact of 20 years of service as an Infantryman.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete development of evidence. The Veteran's Social Security records need to be obtained, and new opinions are required regarding the etiology of his knee disabilities and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder, but granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM). The Veteran's left knee disorder is presumed to have been caused by herbicide exposure during his time in Thailand. His DM is presumed due to herbicide exposure while serving in the Republic of Vietnam.,The Board found that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's current left knee condition to service, but granted service connection for DM based on presumptive exposure to herbicides.