Knee decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for a low back condition and a right knee condition, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left hip and left knee bursitis with measurable atrophy of the thigh, as well as a muscle injury of the calf as residual of left ankle fracture and left knee bursitis. The maximum schedular ratings have been assigned.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, as well as increased ratings for lumbar spine DDD, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee pain with mild patellofemoral degenerative changes, left ankle sprain, right ankle sprain, residual scar of hernia operation (right inguinal area), and painful residual scar of hernia operation (left inguinal area).

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for increased disability rating and TDIU are remanded due to incomplete records and need for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of her back, left knee, and left ankle disabilities. The current status of her migraine headaches remains unresolved.

The Board has denied service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, cataracts, and diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder with anxiety is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left and right knee arthritis were denied. Separate ratings of 10 percent for slight instability in the left knee, and 20 percent for moderate instability in the right knee were granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and restoration of a disability rating are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records from his Army National Guard and Navy Reserve periods of service. The Veteran is asked to provide information about these periods so that VA can obtain any missing records.

The Board has granted a TDIU from July 28, 2010 to February 19, 2015 based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for knee and ankle conditions due to fibromyalgia as secondary to service-connected anxiety disorder. The Veteran's current diagnoses of fibromyalgia are related to her active duty service, but a VA examiner is needed to provide an opinion on whether the fibromyalgia was caused or aggravated by her service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examinations and needs to obtain a VA medical opinion that addresses the manifestations and severity of the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability during the period on appeal, including range of motion in both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing modes.

The Board found that the original service connection for lumbosacral strain, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, and patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee was based on a clerical error in the September 2013 administrative decision. The appeal is denied as the severance of service connection was proper.

The Board has remanded the service connection claim for a left knee disability due to insufficient evidence and requests an addendum VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service-connected. The Right Knee Disability issue is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability has been reopened, but the issue remains remanded.,Left ear hearing loss is rated at noncompensable (0%) due to not meeting criteria for higher ratings under VA regulations.,Asthma is currently rated at 30% and the issue of an increased rating remains remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back, right knee, and left knee disorders due to a lack of evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with the VA examination and duty to assist, including a need for a new examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an immune system disorder is denied.,Service connection for tinnitus is denied as it is not related to in-service noise exposure and the Veteran’s current tinnitus began many years after service.,Bilateral hearing loss (right ear) is not shown to be a disability for VA purposes, while left ear hearing loss is noted at entrance but does not show an increase in severity during service.,The issue of entitlement to increased initial rating for right knee chondromalacia patella is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,Service connection for head injury and brain tumor with residual memory loss, scar, slurred speech and headaches are remanded for additional development due to lack of specific medical examination or diagnosis.,Entitlement to service connection for muscle and joint pain is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is needed to assess the current nature and severity of the Veteran's left knee disability.