Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities do not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD claim is reopened and granted. Headaches are not service-connected, but right knee tricompartmental osteoarthritis is secondary to his service-connected left knee conditions. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for left knee disabilities are set at May 2, 2013.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen claims for service connection for right knee disorder, right wrist fracture/ganglion of the right wrist, and dorsal spine injury. These issues are now remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hips and knees, as well as his claim for SMC based on need for aid and attendance. The issues are being remanded due to a lack of medical opinion regarding whether the service-connected skin disease caused obesity, which in turn caused or aggravated the hip and knee disabilities.

The Veteran is granted a 20 percent rating for right knee osteoarthritis prior to January 30, 2017.,A temporary total rating was granted following the Veteran's total knee replacement on January 30, 2017.,Since January 30, 2018, a 30 percent rating for right knee disability status-post total knee replacement is granted.,The decision does not specify an effective date for any of these ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder, low back, and right lower leg/knee disabilities due to the evidence being at least in equipoise regarding their onset during active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee disability and irritable bowel syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of her conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right shoulder and right knee disorders due to insufficient evidence. Additional VA medical opinions are needed, and all relevant treatment records must be obtained.

The Veteran's right and left knee patellofemoral syndromes are rated at 20% each since March 9, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea. The Veteran is seeking service connection for sleep apnea, left wrist condition, and left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions from a VA examiner in August 2018. The claims will be reviewed with additional development and an addendum opinion provided by another medical professional.

The Board has ordered further development for the Veteran's right knee instability and limitation of extension claims due to incomplete records and need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the effective dates being prior to the date of receipt of the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability. The decision on service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for postoperative residuals of a right tibiofibular fracture, right hip disability, back disability, and sciatica of both lower extremities have been denied. The Board found that the evidence does not support the Veteran’s allegations regarding his injuries resulting from the 2005 motor vehicle accident.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that the disabilities are secondary to service-connected varicose veins pathology.

The Veteran's right and left knee arthritis were not incurred during service, as no etiological relationship was found between the conditions and his active duty.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was first diagnosed in service and has been a chronic condition since then. Service connection is granted for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his increased rating claim for right knee osteoarthritis, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current disability for hearing loss or tinnitus meeting VA compensation criteria, and there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure causing these conditions. For right knee osteoarthritis, the Board granted a 10 percent rating effective from November 3, 2017, based on noncompensable limitation of motion due to arthritis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for recurrent subluxation of the left knee meniscus tear and left knee arthritis are being remanded due to a lack of recent medical records and the need for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumber spine and osteoarthritis of the right knee with meniscal tears and chondromalacia, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Veteran's left knee and left middle finger disabilities have been granted increased ratings, but the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded.