Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right and left knee arthritis, as well as his claim for a TDIU prior to May 1, 2018. The remand is due to insufficient evidence regarding the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, low back, left ankle, hemorrhoids, and left knee disabilities are denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for various ankle and shoulder disabilities, as well as an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for a right ankle disability is granted. The claims for sleep apnea and lower back, right knee, and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected knee and back disorders due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have not been found to be related to his active service.,There is no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disorder during or within one year after service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury, including cognitive disorder NOS and headaches, is granted. An effective date of April 28, 2011, is assigned for the award of service connection for low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination for rating purposes, and the Veteran's right knee disability must be re-evaluated.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability is being reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. However, his case is still pending as he needs to undergo a VA examination to determine if his condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various ankle, knee, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, and sinus disorders have been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses or chronic disabilities related to the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for right leg shortening is denied. The Board finds no current diagnosis of right leg shortening and thus, the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that he has this condition. For his post-operative right knee injury with degenerative arthritis prior to May 20, 2015, the Veteran's disability rating remains at 20 percent.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including osteoarthritis and patellofemoral pain syndrome, has not been rated at a level higher than 20 percent. The Board has ordered additional examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, concluding that there is no indication that a pulmonary embolism was related to active service or that any of the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities were a contributory cause of death.

The Veteran's left knee disability is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its nature and etiology, as the medical evidence of record is insufficient.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial, compensable rating for service-connected painful scars of the right knee was dismissed as he withdrew his claim.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for left knee disability was denied because no new and material evidence was submitted after the July 2008 Board decision.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for radiculopathy with nerve involvement affecting bilateral lower extremities was denied as his claim was implicitly denied in the July 2008 Board decision.

The Veteran's left-knee disorder is granted a 10 percent rating, effective July 1, 2011. Service connection for lumbar spine disorder and PFB are denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for left knee disability, right knee disability, left foot pes planus, right hand cold injury, and left hand cold injury. The issues are being remanded due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, increased ratings for cervical spine and PTSD disabilities, and TDIU prior to April 3, 2018 were denied. The claim for restoration of the 30 percent rating for cervical spine disability was granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, right wrist, left wrist, and neck disorders due to potential exposure in Southwest Asia. The Veteran will be asked to provide any outstanding medical records and a VA examination will be scheduled.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to assess the severity of his service-connected knee disabilities prior to May 2, 2019. This includes obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a new examination.