Knee decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee disability and tuberculosis, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's case is being remanded for further consideration of multiple issues, including a TDIU claim and the rating of various disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings was denied, and the issues of rating his service-connected conditions were remanded.

The Veteran's disability evaluations were reviewed, and the reduction in lumbosacral strain evaluation was found to be improper. The cervical strain and knee extension evaluations are remanded for further review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection of left knee and low back disabilities, as well as a rating in excess of 30 percent for his right knee disability with limitation of motion, require additional development. The case is being remanded to obtain new VA examinations and review of medical records.

The Veteran's initial rating for left knee strain was increased to 10 percent, effective May 27, 2011. The case is being remanded due to the need for additional development and an addendum opinion regarding the impact of flare-ups on range of motion.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral elbow pain, low back disability, and left knee disability due to lack of current disabilities or evidence linking these conditions to service.

For the period prior to July 1, 2017, the Veteran's left knee patellar tendonitis did not result in limitation of extension. From July 1, 2017 to January 8, 2018, his right knee patellar tendonitis was limited to 10 degrees and from January 9, 2018, it was limited to 15 degrees by pain.,From July 1, 2017 to January 8, 2018, the Veteran's left knee patellar tendonitis was limited to 5 degrees. For the period starting January 9, 2018, his right knee patellar tendonitis was limited to 15 degrees by pain.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and increased rating claims. The Veteran's right knee scar associated with her surgery is not compensable, the effective date for lumbar spondylosis is denied, and additional examinations are needed to assess shoulder disabilities, bilateral knee conditions, and lumbar spondylosis.

The Board denied service connection for a left bicep disability and remanded the issues of increased ratings for right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's right knee instability and arthritis have been granted a separate 10% rating prior to May 17, 2012. A 10% rating has also been granted for his right knee instability since May 17, 2012. The Veteran's arthritis is rated at the maximum allowable under Diagnostic Code 5260.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, low back disorder, right and left hip disorders, and right knee disorder. The decision also remanded a claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted for a skin disorder, fatigue, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. Service connection was denied for left knee disorder and low back disorder.,Service connection was granted for the skin disorder due to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disorders, diagnosed as osteoarthritis, based on the opinion of a VA medical expert who concluded that the Veteran's current knee conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service as a paratrooper.

The Veteran's petition to reopen her claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability has been granted. Her claims for right knee, COPD, heart arrhythmia, and kidney conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder was denied in June 2009. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim, as there is no evidence showing that his preexisting condition worsened during service. His claims for increased evaluations of left shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The case is being remanded for further examination and analysis.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease is denied as there is no evidence of ankylosis or limitation of motion to 30 degrees.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, ischemic heart disease (IHD), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee with degenerative changes, and patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee with degenerative changes did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating and TDIU was denied in September 2008, which became final. The Board found that it is not factually ascertainable that the Veteran had a worsening of his left knee disability or became unable to work within a year prior to his January 31, 2014 claim for increased rating and TDIU. Therefore, an effective date earlier than December 16, 2013 for TDIU benefits is denied.