Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has dismissed all appeals related to the Veteran's service connection and increased rating claims due to a withdrawal request in May 2016.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee degenerative changes, left knee degenerative changes, and lumbar spine degenerative changes have been granted. The appeal to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request for an extension of a temporary total rating beyond February 28, 2011. The case is being remanded for further examination and consideration of increased ratings for right shoulder rotator cuff injury with osteoarthritis and right knee unicondylar revision arthroplasty.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder, lumbosacral strain, and left knee disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation. Additionally, the issue of secondary service connection for right knee osteoarthritis is also being remanded.

The Board dismissed the appeals due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorders due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and relationship of his current conditions to military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further development and adjudication of his claims, including a determination on whether he should be granted TDIU prior to August 19, 2014.

The Veteran's last VA examination was conducted in September 2016, and he asserts that his left knee condition has worsened since then. The Board finds that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis, left knee as it is not related to her service-connected bilateral pes planus and is not otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's initial and increased rating claims for his right ankle disorder have been granted, with the highest available ratings. The Veteran is also entitled to a higher rating for his right lower extremity distal sural neuropathy.,Service connection for left hip and left knee disorders remains pending as additional evidence or examination may be required.

The Veteran's right knee DJD, status post total knee replacement, is granted service connection. The claim for a higher disability rating for lumbar intervertebral DDD and the TDIU are both remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including the patellectomy and arthritis, is rated at 60 percent effective February 27, 2017. The rating for scars associated with the right knee remains unchanged.

The Veteran's right knee condition is reopened, and the claims for left knee instability and limitation of flexion are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when evaluated in association with his educational attainment and occupational experience, preclude gainful employment. The Board grants entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities (TDIU) effective November 4, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, right triceps tendonitis and right shoulder bicipital tendonitis and impingement syndrome, and left triceps tendonitis. The rating assigned for PTSD remains denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected left knee DJD with lateral instability and a TDIU due to deficiencies in the April 2018 VA examination, including inadequate assessment of functional loss during flare-ups and repeated use. The Veteran is to be afforded a new VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination to assess the Veteran's employability status.

The Board has denied increased ratings for left and right knee strain, but has remanded the issues of service connection for lower back pain with limitation of motion, left shin splints, and right shin splints.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been submitted. The claims are now pending before the RO.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, neurocognitive disorder, left foot condition, status post right foot infection, allergic rhinitis, chronic bronchitis, degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, degenerative joint disease of the left elbow, degenerative joint disease of the right elbow, degenerative joint disease of the left hand, degenerative joint disease of the left hip, degenerative joint disease of the right hip, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, degenerative joint disease of the left ankle, and degenerative joint disease of the right ankle have been reopened. The Veteran's claims for cervical spine condition and lower back condition were not reopened.