Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee condition is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion and obtaining private treatment records related to his claim.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to the need for retrospective opinions on the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability and its combined effects with his service-connected psychiatric disorder. The claims will be readjudicated after this development.

The Board denied service connection for cold injury residuals of the left and right knees, hands, and shoulders as there is no evidence that these conditions are related to in-service exposure to cold.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at a combined rating of 60 percent, effective September 14, 2015. The appeal for higher ratings has been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder capsular tear, shoulder impingement, and rotator cuff syndrome as well as chondromalacia patella and meniscal tear of the right knee. The evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current right knee disability is related to his service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to procedural issues, worsening of symptoms since the last examinations, and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including as the result of exposure to asbestos, has been remanded.,Claims for lower back, neck, and bilateral knee and leg disorders have also been remanded. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains denied.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate and requires further development to determine if the Veteran's lumbar spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities are related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, low back disability, bilateral hip disability, and COPD. The evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders due to insufficient evidence in the record, particularly regarding whether his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee DJD, right shoulder dislocation, and lumbosacral spine disability due to outstanding private treatment records and the need for new VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for right wrist injury and right knee condition, thus denying service connection.,The Board has also determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of degenerative arthritis of the spine. The Board has therefore denied service connection for this condition as well.

Service connection for a left shoulder disability, left arm disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and abdominal disability is denied as not related to service.,Service connection for GERD is denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% effective December 6, 2013. The claims for left knee and leg conditions are reopened but service connection remains denied. Service connection for a lower back disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence. The issues include rating his left knee injury, evaluating scars associated with his knee injury, determining service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, and considering a TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, numbness of the left arm and hand (carpal tunnel syndrome), numbness of the right arm and hand, condition of the left knee, condition of the right knee, back pain, and acid reflux. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to missing VA treatment records and incomplete information regarding the Veteran's reserve service dates, including any periods of Active Duty Training (ACDUTRA).

An effective date of August 20, 1986, but no earlier, for the award of service connection for a left knee disability is granted.,An initial rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with IVDS is denied.