Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities have been denied. A separate rating of 30 percent has been granted for limited left knee extension, but the Veteran does not meet criteria for higher ratings under other diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his left knee disability and TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and headaches have been reopened, but the claim for a left knee disorder has been denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for PTSD with an effective date of April 9, 2013.,The Veteran's claims for diabetes, right knee disability, and headaches are pending and will be remanded.

The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for a right ear condition is dismissed.,The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for a left ear condition is dismissed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient recent medical evidence for assessing the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if his service-connected right knee disability is worse than currently evaluated.

The Board has denied the reopening of claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities, left shoulder disability, and migraines due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Board denied service connection for heart disease, lung disease, and right knee disability due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions, particularly related to exposure in Vietnam. The claims are being returned for further development and examination.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and remanded the claim for diabetes mellitus type II due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to toxic chemicals during service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his left and right knee osteoarthritis, as well as his claim for a TDIU. The reasons are that additional supporting evidence is required in developing these claims.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right epicondylitis, right and left ankle degenerative joint disease, and a right knee disability are granted. The Veteran is also awarded a 10% evaluation for his right and left ankle disabilities prior to February 4, 2018.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on multiple service-connected conditions have been denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings for his right shoulder, left and right knee disabilities, cervical spine condition, ankle disabilities, tinnitus, or scars.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right knee scars have been remanded due to the need for additional examination and assessment of the severity of his disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left and right knee degenerative joint disease, as well as her claim for a TDIU due to service-connected bilateral knee degenerative joint disease and major depressive disorder. The remand requires that VA obtain updated treatment records, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the severity of her bilateral knee disability, and determine if she meets the criteria for a schedular TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disability, and right knee disability as there was no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims for service connection, including neck disability, left knee disability, bilateral pes planus, tonsil disability, acid reflux (GERD), and headaches. The decision also includes requests for VA examinations and for SSA disability records.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's left knee disability, right index finger fracture with arthritis, low back disability, right knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The issues include seeking increased ratings for these conditions and determining whether service connection should be granted or denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders have been granted, but the cases are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is not found to have caused or worsened the current pinguecula in his eyes, and he does not have a disability manifested by symptoms of arm pain.,The Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed peripheral neuropathy in any extremity. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have functional impairment due to reported pains.