Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and rating for left ankle sprain and left knee degenerative arthritis due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder. The Veteran's bilateral leg/knee disorder is not service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the hips, knees, and cervical spine as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's claims for erectile dysfunction disorder, left knee disability, and fibromyalgia have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.,There are no diagnoses of left knee disability or fibromyalgia in the record.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of a skin rash and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral knee disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee arthritis, limitation of motion, and instability have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.

The petition to reopen the claims for service connection for PTSD, bipolar disorder with alcohol dependence, left knee disability, right knee disability, lumbar spine DDD, left ankle condition, and right ankle condition is granted. The Board found new and material evidence in some of these cases.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as fibroids, due to inadequate medical opinions. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, allergic rhinitis, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and symptoms of acid reflux and IBS. These issues are remanded due to insufficient evidence in previous VA examinations.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and examination, including service connection claims for various conditions.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, residuals of a concussion or brain disease due to trauma, and left arm nerve damage as the evidence did not support their onset during active service.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are not service-connected as separate conditions, with the symptoms attributed to his service-connected fibromyalgia.,The Veteran's shin splints (leg pain) is not service-connected as a separate condition. The current symptomatology is associated with his service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of a separate 10 percent rating for cranial nerve VII due to Frey Syndrome should not be earlier than March 2, 2015. The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher ratings are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.,Further examination is required to determine if the Veteran has a current psychiatric disorder, TBI, headache disorder, vision disorder, or hypertension that is related to his military service.

The reduction in disability rating from 30% to 10% for degenerative arthritis of the left knee was improper, and the 30% disability rating is restored as of May 1, 2012. The issue of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 30% for the same condition is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee and lumbar spine disabilities due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran will need to undergo additional VA examinations to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and compensable evaluations, as they have not been fully addressed by the AOJ. The VA needs to consider all evidence of record before issuing an SSOC.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination in June 2017, and a new examination is required to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back, left knee, and right knee disabilities have been remanded. His claim for tinnitus has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his left knee instability and painful motion are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and/or private treatment records.