Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for right arm and left finger scars was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran’s service connection claims for residual burn scars of the right arm and left finger, as well as his right knee disorder, were not granted due to lack of evidence supporting these claims. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's request for an increased rating for right knee arthritis, service connection for bilateral shoulder disabilities, and service connection for bilateral hearing loss were all denied. The lung disability claim was also denied as there is no established in-service incurrence of a lung disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected right knee ACL rupture and meniscal tear due to procedural issues.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral vestibular disorder, and right-knee disorder as the evidence did not show a nexus to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease with chondromalacia patella and a cervical spine condition, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship to military service. The Veteran was granted TDIU based on his combined disability rating of 70%.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for TMJ, GERD, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and left knee tendonitis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current diagnoses or causation due to service.,Service connection for TMJ was granted with a 10% rating effective from October 20, 2014 until January 12, 2016 and a 50% rating effective from January 12, 2016. Service connection for left knee tendonitis was denied.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are currently rated 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence presents an exceptional disability picture and refers the claims for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's gout of the right knee and toe is rated at 40 percent effective November 26, 2011.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for right knee pain and right foot disability, as they are related to service-connected lumbosacral strain. The VA needs to obtain additional medical evidence and schedule the Veteran for an examination to determine if these conditions are directly related or secondary to his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder condition has been reopened and granted. The Veteran is now in receipt of a 10 percent disability rating for chondromalacia, right knee prior to August 31, 2015, and a 30 percent disability rating from that date forward. His claim for increased ratings for sarcoidosis of the lung remains denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his low back disability is denied, and he is not entitled to TDIU based on schedular criteria. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate is denied as he does not meet the criteria due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied increased ratings for DJD with reduced flexion of the left knee and instability of the left knee, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The claim for a back disorder is granted, and the Veteran receives a rating of 50 percent from January 19, 2016. The right knee disorder claim remains denied. The PTSD claim is granted with an increased rating to 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and left knee disabilities due to lack of a VA examination, incomplete medical records, and need for further analysis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's preexisting right knee injury worsened during service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for further examination and review of his medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of the Veteran's right knee and right ankle disabilities for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and examining her leg length discrepancy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his left shoulder, lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disabilities due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's claims for eardrum damage, bilateral knee condition, stomach ulcers, and hemorrhoids have all been denied as they are not related to his military service.