Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeal was denied for increased ratings of his left knee disability and scarring. The maximum rating for left knee instability is 30 percent, with a separate 10 percent rating for painful motion. A compensable rating for left knee scarring prior to December 30, 2019, and a 10 percent rating thereafter were denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to conflicting medical opinions and need for further development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left fifth finger osteoarthritis, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder are granted. The Board found that the current disabilities are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus and bilateral knee arthritis were granted, while her claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The appeal is mixed as some issues are granted and others are not.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder, right elbow, left elbow, right wrist, left wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome), right hip, left hip, right knee, and bilateral hearing loss. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all available records from the Veteran’s National Guard service, particularly those from 2014 through his retirement in March 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left and right knees due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. The Veteran's testimony indicates that his knee disabilities may be related to active service, but VA examinations did not provide etiological opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his lumbar spine, cervical spine, and left knee conditions. The issues are also inextricably intertwined with the claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran is granted a 20 percent rating for chronic left ankle strain, right knee patellar tendonitis, retropatellar pain syndrome of the left knee, and left knee dislocated semilunar cartilage as of May 24, 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating for convalescence beyond October 31, 2016 due to right knee surgery and whether a TDIU is warranted. The evidence did not show that the Veteran required at least one month of convalescence or severe post-operative residuals.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Board has granted service connection for a psychiatric disability, degenerative arthritis of the spine and lumbar spondylosis, and right knee arthritis. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee condition is not service-connected as it did not manifest during service or within a presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology was not established.,The Veteran's mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy is service-connected as it is proximately due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. Other vision conditions (ptosis and cataracts) are not service-connected.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a bilateral knee condition, cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine condition, and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, urothelial cancer, and skin cancer due to incomplete service records.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 1151 for postoperative meniscectomy and arthritis of right knee is denied because the evidence does not support a finding that VA care caused additional disability.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder, left knee, right foot disabilities and residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to include acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder and PTSD. The Veteran's current conditions are believed to be related to in-service injuries during airborne training.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for allergic rhinitis and Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee due to his withdrawal of these claims.

The Board has decided that additional development is necessary for the claims of an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for postoperative residuals of a right knee injury and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

All appeals for increased ratings and initial compensable ratings have been withdrawn by the Veteran.,The Veteran has also withdrawn all appeals regarding effective date determinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for right and left knee strain, as well as Graves' disease. The issues are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for left leg condition, peripheral vascular disease of the right leg, bilateral knee disability, and left ankle arthritis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The claims are being remanded for further development.