Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service, and the claim for service connection is granted.,New evidence has been received that relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claims for entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD), and disorders of the right hand and bilateral fingers. Therefore, these claims are reopened.,No new and material evidence was received to reopen the claims for entitlement to service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral knee disorder, left hand disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, or disorders of the right hand and bilateral fingers. These claims remain denied on the merits.,The Veteran's current bilateral elbow disorder is not related to his service, as there was no evidence of such during service. The claim for reopening is denied.,No new and material evidence was received to reopen the claim for entitlement to service connection for a left hand disorder. This claim remains denied on the merits.,New and material evidence has been received that relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claims for entitlement to service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, but these claims remain denied on the merits.,No new and material evidence was received to reopen the claims for entitlement to service connection for disorders of the right hand and bilateral fingers. These claims remain denied on the merits.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD) is related to his service, as there is nexus evidence linking it to service. The claim for reopening is granted.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 30 percent disabling, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran’s right knee has not lacked more than 20 degrees of extension at any time during the appeal period and his lay reports of symptoms are considered along with range-of-motion testing results. Instability of the right knee is rated as 10 percent disabling, but no higher. A separate rating for a meniscal tear is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of her service-connected knee and radiculopathy disabilities, as well as her claim for a TDIU. Additional evidence was added to the record since the last decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, back disability (secondary to a knee disability), left hip disability (secondary to a knee disability), and right hip disability (secondary to a knee disability). The decision was based on the absence of evidence showing that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability and left knee disability based on new and material evidence are granted, with an effective date of August 28, 2006.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected cervical spine, right knee, left knee, and right knee disorders. The VA will also obtain any outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right knee degenerative joint disease (gouty arthritis) are granted. A separate 10% rating is assigned for groin pain associated with the Veteran’s service-connected right hydrocele and loss of left testicle.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran's low back disability, right leg nerve disorder (sciatica), and right knee disability are all in question.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent for patellofemoral pain syndrome with strain and shin splints, effective July 31, 2014. The Board has also granted a separate rating of 10 percent for instability of the left knee, effective March 10, 2015.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for traumatic brain injury is remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, and his appeals for service connection and ratings for various conditions are dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for left foot, left knee, and right shoulder disabilities due to inadequate examination reports and missing medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, and left knee disabilities due to incomplete records and need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, lower back, and left knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran must be provided with additional VA examinations to address these issues.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his left knee disability, including instability and extension limitation, was denied. The Veteran received a separate 10% rating for limited extension of the left knee from April 26, 2015 to July 21, 2016.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various knee and foot disorders, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and stroke. The Veteran is advised to cooperate with the scheduling of the requested examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient reasons and bases for denying service connection for a right knee disorder. The Veteran's claim will be returned for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right ankle, right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities due to inadequate etiology opinions in a previous VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals regarding his service connection claims and rating for left eye disorder, left knee degenerative arthritis, and left knee instability have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee impairments, as well as an intestinal condition, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions during his active duty or related to environmental exposures in Southwest Asia. The Board concluded that the Veteran's current diagnoses were more likely due to aging and post-service occupational activities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,For his coronary artery disease, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to March 28, 2017 and 30 percent from that date onwards. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on METs levels or other criteria.