Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remand directives and the need for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left total knee arthroplasty, finding that the condition was aggravated by his service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a right knee disability due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's use of over-the-counter medication and his self-reported pain since service.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent from March 1, 2020. The Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted for the period prior to January 2, 2019 due to lack of more than slight instability and limitation of extension. For the period after March 1, 2020, the Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 30 percent under DC 5055.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees, as well as a separate rating for left knee instability. The criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent were not met.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds in favor of the Veteran and grants his claim, as he has provided credible evidence to establish a nexus between his current tinnitus and his military service. His right knee disorder issue remains pending due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran had acoustic trauma during service. Service connection was denied for right and left knee disorders, left ankle disorder, and stomach disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee disability and for a compensable rating for left knee extension due to insufficient information regarding the severity, frequency, and duration of flare-ups during the examination.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability, but remanded her claims for restless leg syndrome and chronic cough due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability other than sleep apnea is denied. The claim of left knee arthritis is granted, and the issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient examination findings and requests for additional contemporaneous examinations with accompanying opinions.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is remanded due to a failure to obtain a retrospective opinion addressing the severity of her combined disabilities in relation to her claimed TDIU throughout the appeal period. The RO has also misconstrued the extent of the period on appeal and has not adjudicated the issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to August 3, 2012.

The Board denied service connection for gastritis, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder as there was no current disability found. The Veteran's symptoms were attributed to his service-connected alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and increased rating for left knee pain with weakness are denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, and his left knee disability is rated as noncompensable prior to October 15, 2014, and 10 percent disabling thereafter.

The Veteran's nasal disability is granted service connection. The right knee, back, and OSA disabilities are remanded for additional development. Service connection for TBI and acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD) is also remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative joint disease with muscle spasm is not service-connected.,Right hip disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are not service-connected as secondary to back disorder.,Right shoulder disorder and left shoulder disorder are not service-connected as secondary to back disorder.

The Board dismissed the appeal of service connection for a respiratory disability. Service connection was granted for low back and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right ankle has been dismissed as his claim was granted in a prior rating decision. The cases for left ankle and knee degenerative arthritis, along with right knee residuals, are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral knee condition, a shoulder condition, and a back disorder due to incomplete records and inadequate examinations. The case is being sent back for further action.

The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction and right knee disability secondary to service-connected disabilities have been granted. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability is remanded.