Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the left knee due to conflicting reports about pain during flare-ups and an inability to fully adjudicate the claim without additional information.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a left knee disability and an increased evaluation for his right knee strain. The decision on these issues is pending, with further examination required to determine if the current left knee disability is related to service or due to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate medical opinions and need for further examination.

The Veteran's cervical, thoracolumbar spine, left knee and right knee disabilities are granted as service-connected. The Veteran is also granted an initial 70 percent rating for his traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.,The Veteran's claim for OSA is being remanded as there may be a link between his military service and undiagnosed illness. Additional evidence is needed, including records from 2010 when he was referred for evaluation of sleep apnea.,The Veteran's claims for kidney stones and diabetes are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus is being remanded as there may be a link between his military service and aggravation of his already elevated blood sugar levels. Additional evidence is needed, including records from 2010 when he was referred for evaluation of sleep apnea.,The Veteran's claims for left shoulder disability are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.,The Veteran's claim for back disability is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.,The Veteran's claims for knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral knee disability, left ankle disability, right foot disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The cases are being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the scar, residuals of a flesh wound to the right knee. The Veteran's right knee strain and right quadricep muscle injury are also found to be secondary to his service-connected residuals of a flesh wound to the right knee.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the Veteran did not have a chronic disability in service or until after separation from active duty. The claims were based on his occupational specialty as a carpenter which caused no functional impairment.

The Veteran's claims for increased PTSD, ischemic heart disease, Peyronie's disease, and left knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for ischemic heart disease is being remanded as it may be related to herbicide agent exposure during his service aboard the USS America. Additional evidence will be needed to determine if this exposure can be presumed based on his service record.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for Peyronie's disease is also being remanded due to potential herbicide agent exposure during his service aboard the USS America. Additional evidence will be needed to determine if this exposure can be presumed based on his service record.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability is being remanded as it may be related to an in-service injury. An examination will be required to assess whether any current conditions are at least as likely as not caused by the in-service injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for headaches, left knee disability, and lumbar spine disability due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The case is returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his left and right knee disabilities, as well as his derivative claim for a TDIU. The claims are being remanded due to the need for further development including an examination of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability and the development of the derivative TDIU claim.

The Board has granted entitlement to service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, but denied entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and temporary total evaluation following right knee replacement due to inaccuracy of factual premises in previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's claims are otherwise denied.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of various knee, neck, and nerve conditions due to his withdrawal of those claims prior to the issuance of a final decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right knee disorder and his service-connected left knee disability, as well as obesity.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including those related to his left ankle and left knee conditions.

The Veteran's increased rating claim for left knee chondromalacia patella, grade III with instability associated with a left femur fracture with residual shortening of the femur is being remanded due to additional evidence received after the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for left knee strain and instability has been denied. The effective date of the separate rating for left knee instability is set at May 3, 2011.