Knee decisions — 2019

Service connection for left hemiparesis and associated migraines, stuttering and loss of speech, complex regional pain syndrome, left lower extremity restless leg syndrome, right lower extremity restless leg syndrome, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as nerves), and a rash have been granted.,Effective dates for service connection are set at September 17, 2008.

The Board has granted a TDIU from March 1, 2015 to September 29, 2016 due to service-connected orthopedic and mental health disabilities preventing the Veteran from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The March 2, 1988 rating decision denying service connection for Right Knee Disorder was found to have been based on CUE.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a neurological pain disorder (claimed as fibromyalgia), tooth grinding disorder, and tooth loss were remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient information regarding the severity of the Veteran's right knee disability, particularly instability and limitation of flexion.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination. The Veteran is granted service connection for tinnitus, but his claims for right knee, left knee, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, as there are outstanding VA records that may be relevant to reopening the low back condition claim. The left knee and major depressive disorder claims are also remanded due to their inextricably intertwined nature with the low back condition claim.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was incurred during his period of active service from June 2006 to October 2007.,The Veteran’s bilateral shoulder disabilities, right elbow disability, lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and right foot disability are all related to injuries sustained during his periods of active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders, including arthritis and chondromalacia patella, as secondary to her service-connected patellofemoral joint syndrome of the knees are being remanded due to need for additional development.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis is rated at 10% since the beginning of the appeal period. A separate 10% rating for instability was granted as of September 13, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for clothing allowances related to left wrist, right knee, and back braces are denied as he is not service-connected for any of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding no evidence that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation due to insufficient opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder condition, as well as the current severity of his left knee disability.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities have worsened since the last VA examination, requiring surgery. The claims are remanded for a new VA examination to assess current severity of the disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing records and additional medical evidence is needed. The issues of left shoulder, low back, and left knee disabilities are related to National Guard duty time which needs to be verified. The psychiatric disorder claim requires additional treatment records and a VA examination. Sleep apnea and hypertension are inextricably intertwined with the psychiatric disorder claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to inadequate examinations, including a lack of information regarding flare-ups and additional loss of range of motion during such periods.

Bilateral hearing loss and chronic/recurrent right ankle strain are granted as service-connected.,Left knee arthritis, bunion and metatarsalgia of the right foot, bronchitis, and sinusitis are granted as secondary to service-connected right knee disability.,Left foot disability is denied.,Headaches are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, knee disorder, psychiatric condition, sinusitis, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension, is remanded due to the need for further evaluation. The appeal for a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for stress, asbestos exposure, and psoriasis have been denied. The Veteran has hypertension, gout, obstructive sleep apnea, and headaches that need to be evaluated further.,The Veteran is not entitled to increased evaluations for his service-connected right and left ankle disabilities due to the lack of non-weight-bearing testing in the VA examination report.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed before a final decision can be made.