Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete service treatment records and missing National Guard unit records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for left ankle, lumbar spine, and right knee disabilities, as well as a left knee disability secondary to a left ankle disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The right knee, high cholesterol, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, low back disability, circulatory system disability (other than hypertension), and psychiatric disability (other than delusional disorder) issues remain under review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to concerns about the effective dates of his service connection awards and the need for medical opinions regarding the onset and chronicity of his symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, and back disability due to the Veteran's incarceration.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as it is secondary to his nonservice-connected hearing loss.,Service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, right knee disorder, and sleep disorder are denied due to lack of current disabilities.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for left knee and tibia disability is denied as there was no pending claim for hearing loss during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right knee and right ankle disabilities due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot disability, right knee osteoarthritis, and left knee degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's claims are remanded for an updated VA examination to assess the severity of his right shoulder disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected PTSD and right knee condition, finding that he was still employed in a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, and therefore denied all claims of service connection.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to insufficient evidence or need for additional development. The effective date of benefits is not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with sciatica, right hip condition, and left knee condition. The evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether these conditions were caused by service.

The Veteran's claims for left knee arthritis and low back condition have been granted. The appeal seeking service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric condition, as well as the right knee disability rating claim, are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion. The current evidence does not establish whether the Veteran has a diagnosable condition or if his pain alone constitutes a disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of her disabilities, including myofascial pain, right shoulder degenerative joint disease, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, bilateral knee internal derangement, bilateral plantar fasciitis with hallux limitus, and abdominal scars.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate examination reports and failure to address functional impairment during flare-ups.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for right proximal fibula or Maisonneuve fracture residuals was denied as there is no legal basis to allow for an earlier effective date.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied because the condition did not exist prior to June 3, 2015.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The RO granted a separate rating for left knee semilunar cartilage tear associated with DJD, but denied an earlier effective date. Ratings for right and left total hip replacements are granted at 70 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his right and left total knee arthroplasties have been denied as the maximum schedular rating (60%) has already been assigned.

The Veteran's back disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted. The right and left knee disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral knee, foot, hand disabilities and COPD due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is conceded.