Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left knee disorder, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations. The rating issues related to his back disability remain under review.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, including obtaining missing service records and VA treatment records, as well as scheduling a VA examination for sleep apnea and knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection was reopened due to new and material evidence. Service connection was denied for left knee disability, right eye disability, and razor bumps. However, service connection was granted for any acquired psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's right shoulder, right knee, left knee, and obstructive sleep apnea disabilities have been granted service connection.,Service connection for the left ankle disability has also been granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar strain, cervical spine degenerative arthritis and disc disease, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left hip strain disorder are all remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is not service-connected as it did not have its onset in service and was not otherwise related to service.,Service connection for the right knee disability is denied as well, with similar reasoning.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, sleep apnea, increased ratings for chondromalacia of both knees, and instability of both knees. The appeals were dismissed as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claim for hypertension.

The Veteran's additional right knee disability is due to an unforeseeable event, specifically the two incidences of loosening of the prosthesis after his initial total knee replacement by VA. The Board granted compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of right knee surgery.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a disorder manifested by memory loss is denied as there is no separate diagnosis of memory loss. The Board has remanded the issues regarding rating higher than 10 percent for lumbar strain with facet arthrosis and spondylosis, service connection for left hip disorder, and service connection for left knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records, specifically missing informed consent documents for a nuclear stress test procedure that occurred on September 7, 2010. The VA must obtain these records and ensure they are associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left knee condition has been dismissed. The Board also remanded the cases of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of fainting spells.

Service connection for left knee arthritis has been granted based on new and material evidence. Service connection for right knee arthritis, as secondary to the service-connected left knee arthritis, is being remanded.,Service connection for left lower extremity peripheral vascular disease, as secondary to the service-connected left knee arthritis, is being remanded. Service connection for right lower extremity peripheral vascular disease, as secondary to the service-connected left knee arthritis, is also being remanded.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including degenerative changes and instability, is rated at 10% prior to April 1, 2012. The appeal for increased ratings was denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. The cases for left ear hearing loss, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and low back disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted a 10 percent rating, and no higher. The Board has remanded the cases for further development regarding thoracolumbar spine disability, left knee disability, right great toe fracture, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to errors in previous decisions regarding service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and rating for various conditions have been denied. The issues of service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development regarding alleged exposure to herbicide agents or other chemicals during his time in Okinawa.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including locking, limitation of flexion and extension, is rated at 20 percent prior to December 15, 2015. Since February 1, 2017, the Veteran's postoperative residuals of total left knee replacement are rated at 60 percent.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss. The case is being remanded for these purposes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee injury, finding that there is no current clinical diagnosis of a right knee disability and that any associated pain does not rise to the level of a disability under Saunders v. Wilkie.