Knee decisions — 2019

The Board denied payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Lee Memorial Health System on June 24, 2016 due to lack of pre-authorization and failure to meet the criteria for emergency treatment under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the issue of increased rating for tension headaches associated with TBI, as well as other service connection issues. The AOJ is instructed to obtain updated medical records and provide a clarifying opinion from the VA examiner who previously evaluated the Veteran's headaches.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, right ankle disability, and left big toe gout have all been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the threshold schedular TDIU criteria and have resolved all doubt in favor of the claim, granting a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected traumatic DJD of the left knee is remanded due to the need for a new examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines is granted, while his claims for other conditions are denied. The Veteran also received a higher rating for anxiety with PTSD.

Your appeal to reopen your right knee disability claim has been dismissed because the representative withdrew it before a decision was made.

The Board has granted service connection for low back disability, left knee DJD and meniscus degeneration, chronic left ankle pain, and OSA associated with asbestosis.,Service connection is also granted for these conditions based on direct evidence of a link between the Veteran's in-service injuries and his current disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee strain, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to his in-service injury and concluding that the preponderance of the evidence does not support the claim.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for generalized anxiety disorder was denied. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right knee osteoarthritis prior to March 9, 2016, and from May 1, 2017, have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board has remanded two issues: entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability and entitlement to a rating greater than 10 percent for a left knee disability. The Veteran's right knee disability may be related to his service-connected left knee disability, but the examiner is asked to provide an opinion on this issue.

The petition to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability is granted. The Board has remanded several issues related to other disabilities, including knee, ankle, foot, and psychiatric conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeals seeking service connection for trochanteric bursitis of the left hip, left knee effusion, and bilateral pes planus due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for various knee and back conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as obstructive sleep apnea due to Gulf War Syndrome. The RO is instructed to obtain all post-service medical records related to these conditions and seek an addendum opinion from a VA clinician regarding whether any current diagnoses are related to active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis, left knee arthritis, and right knee instability are all remanded for further evaluation due to the possibility of increased severity since his last VA examination.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional medical examinations to determine if the Veteran's conditions are related to service.

The Board denied increased ratings for various conditions, including thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis, right and left knee strains, status/post septoplasty with deviated septum, prostate disorder, erectile dysfunction (ED), and gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. The effective dates for the grants of service connection were also denied.

The Board has decided that the C&P Exam is inadequate and requires an addendum opinion to determine if the Veteran's bilateral knee degenerative arthritis is related to his service.