Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's right knee DJD, status post meniscal tear is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that an increased rating is not warranted.,The effective date for service connection of the right knee DJD, status post meniscal tear was changed from May 7, 2015 to June 24, 2015.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including asthma, bilateral hearing loss, ankle and elbow disabilities, knee disabilities, hypothyroidism, and a skin condition are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to procedural errors in previous decisions, including issues with timeliness of notices and obtaining STRs from the Veteran's period of active duty for training. The claims are now pending again.

The Veteran's lung mass claim was denied in an August 2009 rating decision. The appellant has withdrawn her appeals for the left shoulder, left knee, and right knee pain claims.,The Board is remanding the cause of death claim due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral shoulder, knee, and foot disabilities are related to active service or caused by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has vacated the restoration of ratings for left knee sprain and instability, finding that proper procedural notice was not provided. The appeal for restoration of these ratings is denied.

The Veteran's initial claims for increased ratings were denied. The case was remanded, and some of the issues have been addressed with new evidence or actions. However, several issues remain unresolved and are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for coronary artery disease as due to Agent Orange exposure, and the case is remanded for further development regarding left knee disability and PTSD.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for various conditions due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for various disabilities as they are not currently in a position to make decisions due to the Veteran's death.

The Board dismissed the appeal of the denial of service connection for a shrapnel injury to the left knee as it was already decided in the November 2018 decision and the Veteran did not appeal that denial.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all remaining issues on appeal, including those related to the conditions listed and service connection theories.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the Veteran's failure to report to scheduled VA examinations. The case will be returned to the RO for further development, including verifying the Veteran’s current address and scheduling him for appropriate VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for DJD of the left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee. Service connection was denied for DJD of the ankles and feet.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and upper back disorder due to further development being required.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting new VA examinations to assess the severity of his lumbar spine disability and knee conditions. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, low back disability, right knee disability, and right ankle disability. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service physical work and his current symptoms.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right knee condition and its relationship to her military service. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to provide an opinion on whether her current conditions are related to her active duty service.

The Board granted a rating of 30 percent for limited left knee extension, effective from July 19, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete VA treatment records and issues with the reasoning provided in previous decisions. The case will be returned for additional development.