Knee decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of both ankles, bilateral elbow disability, and left hand disability as secondary to residuals of left knee injury with instability.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed bilateral foot, right knee, neck, and back disabilities as there was no evidence of a current disability that was incurred in or due to his time in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder is being remanded due to the need for an opinion regarding whether his current back disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, including arthritis of the bilateral knees and hips.,Service connection has been granted for PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for heart disability and residuals of a fractured sternum, but has remanded the issue of service connection for residuals of a left knee disability due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an error in obtaining a VA examination prior to the Veteran's RAMP opt-in election, and for providing adequate rationale regarding whether the right knee disability is related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of various joint disorders. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for a right knee disorder is granted. The appeal for service connection of a fracture of the 5th metatarsal of the right foot will be held in abeyance pending the outcome of the right knee claim.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate or incomplete examination reports and other procedural issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and higher initial ratings for left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of right knee arthroscopy was denied as his disability did not limit forward flexion to 30 degrees after October 27, 2016.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's petitions to reopen previously denied claims for various conditions, as he did not timely file a substantive appeal within the required time frame.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee condition, finding that the Veteran's current knee disabilities are at least as likely as not due to military training in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to restore a 30 percent (now 40 percent) rating for his right knee disability, finding that there was improvement in the range of motion under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional evidentiary development, including a VA examination and determination of when his convalescence ended following his total left knee replacement in August 2018.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 20% for limitation of motion/degenerative arthritis. A separate 10% rating has been granted for the symptomatic meniscectomy. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted, but a separate rating for the meniscectomy is.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, to include as secondary to his service-connected left knee disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left ankle disability, and right knee disability have been denied.,Service connection has been granted for the Veteran's current diagnosis of hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased initial evaluation of his service-connected left L5-S1 radiculopathy is dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of whether he should be granted service connection for a left knee meniscal tear.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection. The RO must obtain updated VA treatment records from various facilities and associate them with the claims file.