Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding whether any diagnosed bilateral knee, cervical spine, or lumbar spine disabilities are caused by or aggravated by the now service-connected bilateral ankle disability.

The Board has decided that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for tinnitus. However, the issue of service connection for a left knee disability remains pending and must be remanded for further development.

The claims for bilateral ankle, knee, and hearing loss conditions remain denied. The claim for tinnitus was granted due to new evidence submitted after the January 2015 denial.

The Veteran's initial rating for left and right ankle tendonitis with shin splints has been increased to 10 percent, but the appeal remains on for higher ratings.,The Veteran’s low back, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee disorders are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left knee medial and collateral ligament strain with displaced medical meniscus is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed.,New evidence has reopened the claim of service connection for a back disability, but the claim remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for dental disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder have been denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for left knee chondromalacia and right knee condition.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination for a proper determination.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability as there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition during the appeal period.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a right knee condition, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding various disabilities, including ratings for knee and elbow conditions, pes planus, hearing loss, and scars. The Veteran requested withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including rating reductions and earlier effective dates. The specific claims include right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, chronic thoracolumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, major depressive disorder, right ankle posttraumatic degenerative changes, left hand scar, right hip degenerative joint disease, ear nerve damage, left wrist flexor tendinitis, right wrist flexor tendinitis, tinnitus, left knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, sleep disorder, arthritis of the wrists and hands associated with service-connected carpel tunnel syndrome, type II diabetes mellitus. The Board has not reached a decision on these claims at this time.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as left and right bunions due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral knee condition and COPD are not service-connected.,The Veteran's right inguinal scar s/p repair requires further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for bilateral shoulder and knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding functional impairment and a need for updated VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for a left knee condition due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has found the April 2019 VA examination inadequate for rating purposes and has ordered a new examination to determine the current nature and severity of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's service connection claims for left knee pain and loss of visual acuity (claimed as eye vision). The case is remanded to obtain a new medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and her service, with particular attention given to the right knee condition.

The Veteran withdrew his increased rating claims for his right knee and lumbar spine disabilities, so the Board is dismissing these appeals.

The Veteran's left knee disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected right tibia and fibula fracture with degenerative changes of the right knee.