Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's lay statements regarding knee injuries during service, and a new medical opinion is needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate previous opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disability is aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding direct service connection.

The Veteran's internal derangement of the left knee is rated at 40 percent, but no higher. A separate rating of 10 percent for symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage has been granted. The Veteran's osteoarthrosis of the lumbar spine and cervical spine are each rated at 30 percent. Migraine headaches do not warrant a higher rating. TDIU was granted from February 18, 2016 to May 2, 2016.

The Veteran's OSA and other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder with panic attacks are granted service connection. The lumbar spine, cervical spine, right knee, left knee, and MDD claims are remanded for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis, bilateral vision loss, right knee disability, left knee disability, and knee scars. The Veteran did not have current disabilities related to these conditions at the time of the claim or recent to the filing of the claim.,There is no evidence of current hepatitis or residuals of hepatitis documented in the medical record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder, peripheral vestibular disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient examination reports and failure to address certain issues.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tension headaches, back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability were denied as the evidence did not show very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for a skin disability was denied due to lack of at least 5 percent of body or exposed areas affected.

The Board has granted service connection for seborrheic dermatitis and denied the remaining issues on appeal. Service connection is granted for lumbar spine degenerative disease, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral ankle disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for dental injury.,Service connection is denied for a bilateral knee condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to address his right ear hearing loss, hernia residuals, surgical scar associated with hernia, and TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of a left knee disorder, as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability due to insufficient medical evidence considering the Veteran's entire medical history.

The Veteran's right knee meniscus condition is granted a 20% rating. Service connection for his chronic headache disability is granted, but service connection for left knee disorder and cervical spine disorder are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal for a new VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of his service-connected left knee disability, including during flare-ups.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100% since December 11, 2017. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a respiratory disorder and increased ratings for right hip, right knee, and left shoulder disabilities.

The Board denied a separate rating for left knee instability prior to March 27, 2018 as the evidence did not show slight or more severe subluxation or lateral instability.

The Veteran's asthma was evaluated and found not to warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent.,Service connection for the left knee condition, right knee condition, left foot condition, back condition, and COPD were all denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left hip femoral arthroplasty, to include as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current left hip condition was incurred in or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate VA examination and medical opinions, requiring a new evaluation for the Veteran's bilateral foot, hip, knee, and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability, and the preponderance of the evidence did not support her assertions regarding her claimed conditions.,Service connection was denied for Crohn’s disease, joint pains (including right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and finger pain), skin disability (eczema), gastrointestinal disability (chronic diarrhea), abnormal weight loss, and psychiatric disorder (PTSD and adjustment disorder with acute anxiety).