Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for PTSD, bilateral knee disabilities, chronic fatigue syndrome, and muscle pain of the legs due to incomplete medical records. The Veteran is asked to provide a release for VA to secure her private treatment records from St. Elizabeth Family Practice Center in Edgewood, Kentucky.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for a bilateral knee disability and tinnitus. The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and tinnitus are remanded for further examination and determination of their etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for flat feet, left knee disability, fatigue, and headache disability due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his right knee disability and for TDIU due to his service-connected right knee disability. A new VA examination is required to assess the current severity of the Veteran’s right knee disability, including during flare-ups.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral knee disabilities have been reopened and granted. The conditions are found to be secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis with patellofemoral syndrome and right knee degenerative arthritis with patellofemoral syndrome. The claim for service connection for mouth ulcers is remanded, as well as the claim for low back strain with degenerative arthritis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records. The Veteran's left knee condition is being reviewed again for proper service connection.

The Veteran's low back condition is rated at 40 percent, and the Board has remanded his claims for left knee and right leg conditions due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's claimed conditions are related to his service or any other relevant factors.

The claim to reopen the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability is dismissed. Entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is granted, but the case is remanded due to issues with the back disability.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for keratosis was granted. The left ankle disability received a 20% rating effective November 28, 2018. The claims for increased evaluations of the left and right knee disabilities were denied. The lumbar spine stenosis claim was remanded.

The Veteran's GERD is granted with a 10% rating from October 6, 2010. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of an eye disorder and for increased ratings for lumbar spine strain, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board has remanded the issues of ratings for right knee instability, arthritis, and scars. The Veteran's service connection claims for acquired psychiatric disability and erectile dysfunction are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and sleeplessness due to exposure to herbicide agents and combat stressors, respectively. The cases require further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the left knee and laxity of the left knee were granted, with a disability rating of 20 percent for each condition effective March 19, 2019.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum allowable rating of 10 percent.,There is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran has a current left shoulder disability or that any such disability began during service. The preponderance of the evidence is against this claim.,Similarly, there is no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran has a current right knee disability or that any such disability began during service. The preponderance of the evidence is against this claim.,The VA examiner found no objective evidence of a current thoracolumbar spine disability and concluded that any such disability was not related to service, including in-service lumbarization of the S1 vertebrae.,VA audiometric testing did not reveal left ear hearing loss for VA purposes. Right ear hearing loss was noted on both sets of audiometer findings but only during the first set.,Right ear hearing loss was noted on both sets of audiometer findings, with a significant difference in results between the two sets.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection was granted for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, but denied for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and bilateral pes planus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine arthritis, bilateral knee disability, sinusitis, and chronic allergic rhinitis as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple joint pain and weakness, as claimed to be due to Gulf War Syndrome. The claims are being returned for further clarification of the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for an updated VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability, post-knee joint replacement.