Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral foot disorders and right knee disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's low back disorder is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his in-service injury.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed as no adequate substantive appeal has been submitted.,The October 2012 rating decision denying service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's initial ratings for loss of balance, major depressive disorder, and right knee arthritis have been granted. The rating for loss of balance has been increased to 70 percent. The rating for major depressive disorder has also been increased to 100 percent. However, the rating for right knee arthritis remains at 10 percent and is being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bruised lung has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim.,The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right leg disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right knee disorder, and TBI residuals. The motor vehicle accident that allegedly caused these conditions is alleged to have occurred during a period of INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's left knee disability was granted a rating of 10 percent for lateral instability, and separate ratings of 20 and 40 percent were granted for limitation of flexion and extension, respectively, from September 6, 2018 onwards. The claim for higher ratings prior to that date is denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding service connection for his knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of medical records and requests that the Veteran provide authorization for VA to obtain relevant treatment records. The Veteran is also required to undergo a VA orthopedic examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied. The right knee disability is granted as secondary to the left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to outstanding service treatment records and the need for updated VA medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee, hip, and low back disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities due to a discrepancy in the VA examination results regarding flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations due to insufficient rationale in previous opinions, need for a new examination, and issues of effective dates. The claims will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for his right knee disability was remanded due to the failure to notify him of a scheduled VA examination. The case is now being remanded again for the Veteran to be provided with proper notification and for a new VA examination.

The Board has withdrawn the claim of service connection for bilateral knee disability and remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder disability and TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has readjudicated the claims of service connection for left knee disability and back disability due to new evidence received after prior final denials.,Service connection is granted for lumbar degenerative disc disease, bilateral lumbar radiculopathy of the lower extremities (secondary to lumbar degenerative disc disease), hemorrhoids, and anal fistula with anal fissure and partial sphincter loss (secondary to hemorrhoids).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for her low back, left knee, and left shoulder conditions due to inadequate consideration of secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The claims for chronic right hip disorder, left hip disorder, left knee disorder, and right foot disorders are denied.

The claim for an effective date earlier than April 15, 2015 for the grant of service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis (flexion) as secondary to right knee osteoarthritis (OA) is denied.,An earlier effective date of April 15, 2014 for service connection for tinnitus and erectile dysfunction is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the veteran's current GERD, right knee patellar dislocation, and residuals of right knee surgery are related to her period of basic training in 1980.