Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for left and right hip disabilities, a laceration of the left ring finger, a right shoulder disability, and bilateral knee disabilities. The appeal is also remanded for TDIU determination.

The Board has remanded the claims for residuals of a fractured nose and right knee disorder due to incomplete information. The AOJ is instructed to obtain any relevant medical records, including SSA records, and provide the Veteran with a VA examination if necessary.

The Veteran's initial claim for a 10% rating for his service-connected left index finger contracture is granted. Service connection for left ear hearing loss is also granted, but right ear hearing loss and other conditions are denied.

The Board has denied service connection for neck and left eye conditions. The case is remanded to determine the etiology of multiple sclerosis, as well as its relationship to other claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and left knee disorder due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within one year after service. The Veteran's current knee conditions are not related to his military service.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability is reopened and denied. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a left ankle disability is remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee disability is not service-connected as secondary to her service-connected left knee disability. The case is being sent back for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for retropatellar pain syndrome in the right knee has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is denied for retropatellar pain syndrome in the left knee, sebaceous cysts near the vaginal area, and headaches.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, and has remanded several other issues related to service connection. The appeal is currently pending.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 6, 2017 for the grant of service connection for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity is remanded. The claims for a right knee disability and left knee disability are also remanded. A VA examination is needed to determine whether the Veteran has left upper extremity radiculopathy. The claim for TDIU is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, osteoarthritis of the left knee, and osteoarthritis of the right knee. The decision is based on a finding that there is at least an even balance of evidence regarding whether these disabilities are related to service.,There was no presumption or secondary service connection involved in this case.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period, warranting a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's right knee disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disability and a respiratory disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities caused him to gain weight, which aggravated his hypertensive vascular disease. The TDIU issue is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the other issues.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee disabilities due to a lack of compliance with Correia v. McDonald, 28 Vet. App. 158 (2016). An additional VA examination is required.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder, previously claimed as excision of the left knee medial meniscus, to include as secondary to his service-connected right knee disabilities was denied. The Board found that there is no evidence showing that the current left knee disorder was caused or worsened by his service-connected right knee disabilities.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the appellant's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for various disabilities, including right shoulder disability, right hip myositis ossificans, right knee degenerative joint disease and arthroscopic residuals, right Achilles tendon, left Achilles tendon, and left fourth (ring) metacarpal fracture residuals. The appeals are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and obtaining relevant medical records.