Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type 2, bilateral hip disability, and left knee disability due to additional development being necessary.

The Veteran's claimed conditions, including generalized joint and muscle pain, lumbar spine disorder, right elbow lateral and medial epicondylitis, left elbow lateral and medial epicondylitis, right wrist arthritis, left wrist arthritis, and right knee arthritis, were not incurred in service. The Board found no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year post-service for most conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee strain, as secondary to his right knee disabilities, should be remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and remand were denied. The Board found insufficient evidence to grant higher ratings for the right knee and wrist conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Board has found due process deficiencies and remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's hip surgery.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence sufficient to readjudicate the previously denied claim for service connection for bronchitis has been received. The claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and sleep apnea are being remanded for further development.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original disability rating of 20 percent for her right knee conditions and granted a revised effective date of May 2, 2018 for the reduction in evaluation.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his active duty service and a rating of 10 percent has been assigned.,Service connection for allergies, left knee osteoarthritis, and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease have been granted. Service connection for left hamstring condition was denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for right knee arthritis and left knee disability have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome associated with bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, finding no new and relevant evidence after the June 2015 denial.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance of another person due to service-connected disabilities, as well as housebound status due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran was in need of regular aid and assistance or permanently housebound solely due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for restoration of service connection for total knee replacement with moderate instability and limitation of extension, as well as a rating in excess of 30 percent for total left knee replacement from May 1, 2011. The appeal is remanded to obtain a new VA examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left knee disability may be related to service, but more evidence is needed before a final decision can be made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further examination. The issues are whether his left and right knee disabilities were incurred during service or are related to any in-service injury, as well as whether his right knee disability is secondary to his left knee.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred during a non-VA hospitalization at Medical Center of Trinity on January 10, 2018 due to the availability of VA facilities that were feasibly available and could have provided care.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome is rated at 10 percent. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right shoulder disability and bilateral hip disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his left knee ACL tear and service connection for a neck disability were both denied by the Board. The left knee condition is currently rated at 10%.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right and left shoulder disorders, ulcers, prostate disorder, hemoglobin disorder, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, cardiac disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, kidney disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, eye disorder, and hypertension. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's left total knee arthroplasty was rated at 30 percent for the period from October 28, 2013 to April 18, 2019. For the period beginning April 18, 2019, a higher rating of 60 percent is denied.