Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, a cervical spine disorder, and right knee degenerative joint disease status post total arthroplasty. The Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis and depressive disorder have been granted initial ratings, with the left knee receiving a 40% rating. The service connection for hip disorders is also pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic pain disorder secondary to PTSD was denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee strain secondary to IVDS was also denied.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability and chondromalacia of the left and right knees, finding that there was no direct evidence linking these conditions to active service. The examiner also found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disability is not related to his service-connected chronic lumbar syndrome.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical examination and records.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the lack of VA treatment records from Central Arkansas VAMC. The Board requests that these records be obtained and reviewed.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on multiple knee and foot conditions, as well as hearing loss and TBI residuals, are dismissed. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The Board has denied service connection for a right knee disability and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Service connection was granted for tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for right and left ankle conditions, right and left knee conditions, back condition, residuals of TBI, and bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for service connection for right knee tendonitis/tendinosis with osteoarthritis, left ankle Achilles’ tendon rupture, and PTSD with major depressive disorder. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against these claims.,The Veteran also seeks an earlier effective date for service connection for right ankle Achilles’ tendon rupture. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against this claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his left knee disability. The Veteran must be provided a new VA examination to address whether his current left knee disability is related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and right ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran did not have current disabilities of these conditions at any point prior to or during the pendency of his claims.,Service connection was not granted because there is no evidence of a current disability in either condition as defined by VA regulations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been reopened and granted. His current disability is related to his in-service broken nose and weight gain. The rating assigned for the right shoulder, left shoulder, and right knee disabilities are remanded due to lack of adequate examination addressing flare-ups.

The Board denied the petitions to reopen service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and left hip disability due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded three claims for further review: right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is alleged to have aggravated these disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including left and right shoulder, elbow, hand, neck, and knee conditions. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims due to missing documents in his electronic claims file. The AOJ is required to locate and upload any missing documentation, including a March 2003 rating decision, VA Form 21-4138 received January 28, 2008, claim to reopen filed on February 26, 2010; a March 7, 1978 treatment record from Herbert Thomas Hospital; a VA Medical Center Shreveport treatment record from September 15, 2006; a letter of inquiry from Senator Landrieu, and a newspaper article entitled 'VA Vows to End Backlog.'

The Veteran's right knee chondromalacia and instability are not rated higher than 20 percent, as the evidence does not show severe recurrent subluxation or lateral instability. A separate 10 percent rating is assigned for functional impairment analogous to limitation of motion.

The Board denied service connection for back, hip, knee, and leg disorders as they were not incurred during active duty or due to a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to deficiencies in prior VA examinations and lack of consideration of all relevant medical data.