Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, finding that his current condition had its onset during active duty and continues to this day.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted as it is at least as likely as not that the condition began in service and has persisted since.,The Veteran's kidney cancer claim is denied because there is no evidence of a disease or injury in service, nor any indication that the condition manifested within one year of separation from service.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded due to the possibility of delayed onset tinnitus and insufficient rationale for the November 2016 VA examiner’s opinion.,The Veteran's left knee disability claim is remanded as there are no medical opinions regarding a nexus between in-service complaints and current disabilities.,The Veteran's right knee disability claim is remanded due to lack of medical evidence addressing the relationship between service and current knee conditions.,The Veteran's fibromyalgia claim is remanded because there is insufficient evidence linking current symptoms to service.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, and ischemic heart disease claims are both remanded as exposure to herbicide agents in service must be verified before a determination can be made on these claims.,The Veteran's respiratory disability claim is remanded due to the possibility of secondary service connection for coronary artery disease.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral shoulder, knee, and lumbar spine conditions. The right and left elbow conditions are remanded for further development.

An effective date of August 31, 2004, but not earlier, for the grant of service connection for lumbosacral strain is granted. A 30 percent rating for bilateral knee postoperative scars beginning October 28, 2013, but not prior, is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal concerning the increased evaluation for left knee instability and obstructive sleep apnea, which were previously part of his appeal. As a result, the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, lower back disability, and esophageal cancer due to insufficient development. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including an orthopedic evaluation of the Veteran's left knee disability and etiology of his low back strain and right hip arthritis. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the left tibia/fibula disorder and a 10 percent rating for the right tibia/fibula disorder, effective from November 17, 2004. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disorders have been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and ratings for his right hip disorder, left knee disability, and left hip arthroplasty with degenerative changes due to inadequate examination reports and lack of information on flare-ups.

The Board has restored a 20% rating for right knee instability from March 1, 2012. The Veteran's left knee is granted a separate 10% rating for instability.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right knee disability, left knee disability, and low back disability due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran will need new examinations that comply with Correia and Sharp standards.

The Veteran's increased rating for right knee condition and TDIU claim were remanded. The decision on the right knee issue is pending, while the TDIU claim was granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for left and right knee conditions due to a lack of attempts to obtain relevant treatment records from the Naval Hospital in Pensacola, Florida.

The Board has remanded three cases involving increased disability ratings for various conditions of the Veteran's left ankle, hip, and knee. The claims are being returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition has been reopened and denied.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle disorder, bilateral hip disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and bilateral shoulder disorder. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar spine scoliosis with mild degenerative disease and osteophytes, the rating in excess of 20 percent for post-operative right ankle Achilles tendon repair, and the rating in excess of 10 percent for both right and left knee patellar tendonitis were denied. Service connection for gout was also denied.,The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum allowed under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen her claim of service connection for a right knee disorder and has determined that she is entitled to service connection based on direct evidence. The Veteran reported experiencing right knee pain since an in-service accident, which was documented during service. She also provided credible lay statements regarding her continuous symptoms since separation from active duty.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for osteoarthritis of the left knee was denied prior to March 11, 2019. A 20 percent disability rating is granted from that date forward. The Board also remanded several other service connection claims due to insufficient development.