Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that additional examinations and medical opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to her reported conditions. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back pain, left knee condition, right ankle condition, and respiratory condition are all remanded.

The Veteran's respiratory disability, left knee strain, and right knee strain are all granted service connection. However, the hip, ankle, and foot disabilities are denied.

The Veteran's increased disability rating for residuals of a left knee gunshot wound is granted, with a maximum schedular rating of 40 percent. The compensable disability rating for left knee scars remains denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted, but the right foot, hip, and knee disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of left shoulder, right shoulder, left wrist, right wrist, left hip, and right hip disabilities. The appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for major depressive disorder is also dismissed. The Veteran's left knee condition is granted with a separate 10 percent disability rating since November 28, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to the need to obtain medical records from Prattville Primary Medicine Associates and other sources. The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 100% since March 12, 2013, and increased to 60% effective June 12, 2017.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle condition, bilateral hip condition, bilateral knee condition, and back condition secondary to right ankle condition are inextricably intertwined with his claim for right ankle condition. As such, these related issues must be remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to a lack of evidence showing that his left knee infection and related disabilities were caused by VA medical treatment or surgery.

The Veteran's right knee condition is rated at 20 percent, and the Board has granted TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD and other disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his left knee disability and bilateral hearing loss. The remand is due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his bilateral knee degenerative joint disease was denied.,The Veteran's PTSD claim was granted with an initial disability rating of 70 percent, but no higher.

The Board has decided that the service connection claims for various injuries during active service need to be remanded due to missing service treatment records. The VA is instructed to attempt to obtain these records and re-adjudicate the issues.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, specifically whether they are caused or aggravated by her service-connected plantar fasciitis and/or left ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee, shoulder, and foot conditions are being reviewed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination, and the Veteran should be provided with a new VA examination to determine if his right knee disability is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome. Service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder is remanded.

The Board denied a rating greater than 20 percent for left knee chondromalacia manifesting as limitation of flexion, but granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability. The Veteran's disability picture did not more nearly approximate the degree required for higher ratings under Diagnostic Codes 5260 or 5257.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee osteoarthritis is caused by her service-connected right knee disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The appeal on the issues of ratings for knee degenerative joint disease and TDIU prior to September 15, 2011 is dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's motion for an earlier effective date for IHD was dismissed.,The claim to reopen the erectile dysfunction and SMC loss of use of a creative organ claims, as well as the right knee disability claims, is denied.,The claim to reopen the diabetes mellitus claim is denied. The Board finds that new and material evidence has not been received to support this claim.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim was reopened based on new evidence showing noise exposure during service.