Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee condition, left leg condition, and sleep apnea due to lack of VA examinations and incomplete medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disorders. The case will be reviewed with a new examination and additional medical records obtained.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his service-connected depressive disorder, left knee strain with patellar tendinitis, and thoracolumbar spine spondylosis with degenerative disc disease have been REMANDED due to the need for a new examination. The current level of disability for these conditions will be reassessed.

Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left wrist disability, and right wrist disability has been granted.,Service connection for cervical spine condition and vertigo has also been granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for hemorrhoid residuals is being remanded as there may be an additional separate disability evaluation warranted under another diagnostic code.,The Veteran's claims for left knee and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to insufficient evidence of in-service events or diagnoses.,The Veteran's claim for a left ear disability is being remanded due to insufficient evidence of in-service events or diagnoses.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral hand disabilities is being remanded due to insufficient evidence of in-service events or diagnoses.,The Veteran's claim for right-sided flank pain is being remanded due to insufficient evidence of in-service events or diagnoses.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives regarding compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for VA medical treatment and care in 2012, including left leg below the knee amputation, right hip replacement, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary emboli residuals, erectile dysfunction, and depression.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected right knee disability is remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for right knee injury, to include as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability, has been remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The right knee disability and headache disability were granted, while the bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, left knee disability, and skin growth on the left cheek remain denied.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including panic disorder with agoraphobia and recurrent major depressive disorder, is rated at 70 percent.,A separate rating of 10 percent for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome instability has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in a VA examination report regarding range of motion measurements during flare-ups.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted with a 60% rating from January 1, 2017. The previous ratings are maintained for the period prior to November 3, 2015.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and neck conditions due to inadequate VA examination and incomplete medical opinion. The Veteran is required to provide updated VA treatment records, undergo new examinations, and receive supplemental opinions regarding her conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders due to inadequate examination. The Veteran's knee complaints during service are noted, but a clear and unmistakable evidence (CUE) determination is needed regarding whether any pre-existing knee condition existed prior to service.

The Veteran's use of VA-issued bilateral knee braces caused wear and tear to his clothing, especially pants. The Board granted a clothing allowance for the year 2017 based on this finding.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various shoulder, elbow, and knee disabilities due to a lack of VA treatment records from 1970-2007 and incomplete private medical records. The Veteran is also directed to provide authorization for any non-VA medical facilities that have provided treatment.

The Board denied service connection for both the claimed right ankle injury and right knee problems, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board has denied an increased evaluation for left knee instability, as the evidence does not show that the Veteran's symptoms more closely approximate 'moderate' subluxation or lateral instability.,An initial compensable evaluation is also denied for post-operative cyst scar of the left wrist due to lack of objective evidence of instability.