Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Board has ordered additional examinations and remands for the remaining issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have all been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or diagnoses.,Service treatment records did not show any complaints, findings, or treatment related to these conditions.

The Veteran's discharge from service was due to a service-connected disability, and he is now eligible for Chapter 33 educational assistance benefits.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and right knee disabilities. The case will be returned to the Board after completion of this development.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis left knee, status-post medial meniscectomy is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine strain, right wrist strain, left knee disability, left ankle disability, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) as well as his claim for a TDIU prior to August 13, 2015.

The Board denied service connection for back disorder, right-knee disorder, and left-knee disorder as they are not related to active service.

The Veteran's right knee disability is being remanded for a more detailed VA examination to assess the severity of his condition, as the previous examination did not adequately address the impact of flare-ups on his functional ability.

The Board has remanded several claims for increased ratings due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities have increased in severity since the last examination. The VA is requesting updated medical records from a private provider, but cannot pay for them. The Veteran should be scheduled for an examination to assess the current severity of his knee disabilities.

The Board has granted a higher rating of 20 percent for chondromalacia patella of the right knee and a separate rating of 10 percent for right knee instability. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the right ankle was denied.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance for hydrocortisone valerate is remanded due to the absence of evidence in the claims file showing permanent damage to his outer garments.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for migraine headaches has been dismissed. The claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, diabetes mellitus, and arthritis are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, lumbar spine (lower back), left knee, and right knee disabilities have been granted. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding the lower back and knee issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and TDIU due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between his current conditions and service or service-connected disabilities. The Board also found that the Veteran was not unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for temporary total evaluations and increased ratings were dismissed due to the invalidity of a Notice of Disagreement submitted by his representative.,Issues concerning compensable ratings for upper brachial plexus injury, traumatic brain injury (TBI), fracture, left orbital floor, and right-hand scar were also dismissed as there was no specific error or law identified in the VA decisions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been shown to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, leading to the grant of a TDIU effective December 22, 2013. The cases for initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for left and right knee arthritis are remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its onset during service and has persisted since then, granting service connection.,Service connection for the left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and lumbar spine disorder secondary to bilateral knee disorders is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as there are no current audiometric findings that meet VA criteria for a disability. The Veteran's representative indicated possible worsening of his condition since the last examination in 2011.,Service connection for peritoneal adhesions is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence, including lack of records from the private debridement surgery performed in 2002.,Service connection for a psychiatric disorder is remanded as there are no current diagnoses or sufficient medical evidence linking service to the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling for extension, effective July 27, 2017. The Board has found no basis to grant a higher evaluation based on limitation of motion at any point during the appeal period.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and heart disease are remanded due to conflicting opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The decision is based on a finding that these conditions are related to in-service injuries.