Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been granted with effective dates of March 18, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hip disability, left knee meniscal tear, and left ankle disability have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected sinusitis, status post-broken nose, was granted a 50% rating effective October 7, 2016.,Service connection for a bilateral knee disability was denied.

The Board has granted an effective date of September 17, 2010 for the award of service connection for depressive disorder. The issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right elbow disability are remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the earlier effective date claim granted in this decision. The Veteran's increased rating claims for major depressive disorder and TBI are also remanded due to their interrelation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete STRs and insufficient medical opinions. The issues include sinusitis, neck disorder, back disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, bilateral eye disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, heart disability (coronary atherosclerosis), left ankle disorder, and left foot disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right total knee arthroplasty and left hip DJD, as well as his TDIU claim due to worsening of his service-connected conditions. A new VA examination is required.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the appeal is granted to this extent. The appeals for service connection are remanded.

The Board has denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for back, left elbow, left knee, and right leg disorders due to VA medical treatment as there is no evidence of additional disability or a link between the treatment and the worsening conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for another VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right knee disability, especially in light of the April 2017 surgery.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions in a previous examination. The Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, left knee, and leg numbness disorders are being reviewed again with new evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee disability and left ankle disorder, as well as a rating for residuals of a left knee stab wound. The Veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his active duty service or any service-connected condition, while the left ankle disorder may be secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee disability due to the need for further development, including obtaining additional VA and private treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of February 28, 2000 for service connection for a right knee disability. The appeal for an increased initial rating in excess of 10 percent for the right knee condition is remanded.

The Veteran's initial rating for right knee disability prior to September 29, 2014 was denied. A separate initial rating of 10 percent for right knee instability from December 9, 2010 to April 12, 2016 was granted. The claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder was reopened due to new and material evidence.

The Veteran's hearing loss disability has been rated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period.,Beginning March 1, 2012, the Veteran did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for mixed headache disorder, sinusitis, sleep apnea, left knee condition, right knee condition, and back condition are remanded due to issues with hearing scheduling and need for additional medical records.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis and meniscal tear are rated at the highest available ratings, with a separate rating for limitation of extension. The RO denied a higher rating due to the 'amputation rule'.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of bilateral knee disorders and left hip disorder, but has remanded them due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's appeal is pending.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability was denied. However, he received a separate 10 percent rating for slight recurrent subluxation or lateral instability of the left knee.