Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the presumption of soundness at entry into service.,Service connection is established for left knee arthritis and right shoulder rotator cuff tear and arthritis due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to incomplete development and lack of a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC). The SSOC is needed for all denied claims.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for Actinic Keratosis of Face and Arms, left knee strain with Osteoarthritis, and right knee strain with Osteoarthritis have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has restored the prior rating of 10% for left knee instability, finding that the reduction was improper due to lack of improvement in symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his right shoulder disability and headache disability. The left knee and right knee disabilities are now considered as secondary to a pre-existing condition (lumbar spine).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including irregular heartbeat, BPH, high cholesterol, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, kidney condition, skin condition, right hand tremors, left hand condition, knee conditions, ankle conditions, shoulder arthritis, and lower bilateral gout are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran's service records do not provide clear evidence of his claimed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Further efforts should be made to confirm this information.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an addendum VA examination to address the Veteran's right knee disability and its relationship to service, particularly his reported injuries during airborne operations in service.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left knee strain and right shoulder posttraumatic arthritis, as well as service connection claims for various ankle and foot disorders secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension should be reopened and remanded. The other issues are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability is remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's claim for increased rating for her left knee post-total knee replacement surgery remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including service connection for various disabilities and a rating for lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claims are pending resolution.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD prior to December 31, 2018, and in excess of 50 percent from that date was dismissed. The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee chondromalacia patella and right knee chondromalacia patella were granted. The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left ankle strain is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings and entitlement to TDIU is remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right knee, and left knee disorders have been withdrawn by the Veteran.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s tinnitus was related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has determined that there is new and material evidence to support reopening of their claims. However, further development is required as VA must provide an examination or obtain a medical opinion in order to determine the etiology of the Veteran’s bilateral foot disability and bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right knee osteoarthritis are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional private medical records.

The Veteran's initial rating for patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee and instability was denied, with a separate 10 percent rating granted for right knee instability. The total knee replacement received a temporary 100% rating from July 6, 2015 to September 1, 2016, followed by a 30% rating thereafter.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for limitation of extension due to osteochondritis dissecans, left knee, status post-surgery with traumatic arthritis as there was no case or controversy within the jurisdiction of the Board.

The Board has remanded the claims due to missing service treatment records from the Veteran's Army Reserve service.

The Board denied service connection for low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing the current conditions are related to service.,Service records show diagnoses of low back pain, right knee tendonitis, and left knee tendonitis in service. However, no chronic disability was found at separation or within years after service.