Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and conflicting evidence regarding his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including right and left hand disabilities, psychiatric disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and lumbar spine disability. The claims are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for additional action.

The Board denied service connection for patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, finding that there was no evidence linking the current condition to an in-service injury or event.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and additional medical records. The issues of service connection for onychomycosis, bilateral pes planus, left hip labral tear with limitation of flexion, left hip labral tear with limitation of extension, pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), folliculitis decalvans, and scarring alopecia, scalp scar, bilateral plantar fasciitis, hypertension, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), and left knee PFPS are all remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee strain and bilateral plantar fasciitis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of whether he meets the criteria for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, cervical spine, lumbar spine, left hip, right hip, left knee, right knee, left ankle, right ankle, left foot, and right foot disabilities as well as a heart disability.,The Board also denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disorder is related to her service-connected thoracic degenerative changes with lumbar strain. The VA examiner must consider the Veteran's lay reports of ongoing pain and provide a reasoned medical explanation.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional VA medical opinions to address prior range of motion and functional loss due to pain in both knees and shoulders. The appeals are not about service connection, but rather increased ratings.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for chronic lumbosacral strain was denied. A 40 percent disability rating, but not higher, was granted from January 8, 2015 to August 15, 2019 for the Veteran’s chronic lumbosacral strain. The Veteran's left and right knee conditions were also rated based on their specific disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to failure to substantially comply with previous remands, specifically not obtaining a medical opinion as requested. The Veteran's lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities are being reviewed again for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, bronchial asthma and COPD, rhinitis, bilateral pes planus, left knee PFPS, and PTSD. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for bilateral pes planus and left knee PFPS have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating based on current evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether his right knee and leg, kidney, and heart disabilities were caused by VA treatment in November 2008 at the Houston VAMC. The opinions are needed to determine if these disabilities were foreseeable consequences of the treatment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and ensuring all relevant medical evidence has been considered.

The Board has remanded the cases for an increased rating higher than 10 percent for both right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome due to new evidence received from Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her back disability, bilateral knee patellofemoral syndrome, and depression are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, were not of sufficient severity to render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment. Therefore, TDIU was denied.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his right knee disability and service connection for lower back and neck disabilities are remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for radiculopathy of the lower extremities and right femur disability, as well as compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a penile disability, are also remanded due to outstanding medical records and further examination is needed.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral loss of sight secondary to his penile implant surgery is being remanded in conjunction with the other claims.,,,

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination for rating purposes and requests further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a new VA examination.