Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder, elbow, and knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of the Veteran's neck, low back, and left knee disabilities due to insufficient examination opinions and missing medical records.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been dismissed.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen claims of service connection for low back disability, respiratory disability (to include bronchitis and asthma), prostate cancer, and right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, but the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral flat feet, right shoulder condition, and gastrointestinal condition remain unresolved due to need for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability was denied, but he received a separate compensable rating of 10 percent for limitation of extension from June 4, 2013.

Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee is granted.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left eye iritis was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected generalized arthralgias in shoulders, elbows, knees, hands, thumbs, and lumbar spine have been rated at 40 percent since July 1981. The Board denied a higher rating as the evidence does not support a finding of more than 40 percent disability.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for residuals of a right acromioclavicular joint separation was denied.,The reduction from 20 to 10 percent rating for residuals of a left ankle osteochondral fracture was found improper, and the 20 percent rating is restored as of April 1, 2015. The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a left ankle osteochondral fracture remains denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for left knee osteoarthritis was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee instability, as well as his claim for TDIU due to ongoing issues with knee instability. The case is being returned for further examination and development of records.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected bilateral knee disability and asthma, which renders him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. He is also granted SMC at the (s) rate based on being 'statutorily housebound'.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral shoulder, hip, knee and hand/finger disabilities as they were not shown to be related to service.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee DJD status post meniscectomy, as well as right and left hip DJD, all secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.,The VA examiners determined that the current DJD of the bilateral knees and hips were not caused or aggravated by the service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has granted a schedular TDIU effective July 26, 2014.,However, the evidence indicates that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities may have prevented obtaining and/or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation prior to this date. The issue of entitlement to an extraschedular TDIU is therefore remanded for referral to the Director of the Compensation Service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left shoulder impingement syndrome and postoperative meniscectomy of the left knee with arthritis due to additional VA medical evidence being associated with his claim file.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected left knee contusion with DJD, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher disability rating based on limitation of motion.

The Veteran's initial 60 percent rating for Meniere's disease is granted effective prior to December 19, 2019.,An initial 30 percent rating for GERD is granted effective December 19, 2019. The Veteran’s service-connected left knee strain receives an initial 20 percent rating effective the same date. An initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis and inguinal hernia status-post surgical repair are denied.,The Veteran's service-connected Meniere's disease is manifested by hearing impairment with vertigo more than once weekly, warranting a 60 percent rating prior to December 19, 2019. GERD symptoms include persistently recurrent epigastric distress, reflux, regurgitation, substernal pain, and nausea, leading to a 30 percent rating effective December 19, 2019.,Left knee strain is manifested by frequent episodes of joint locking and joint pain, resulting in a 20 percent rating effective December 19, 2019. Allergic rhinitis does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as it does not result in greater than 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides.,The Veteran's inguinal hernia is not manifested by any compensable disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left knee disability, bilateral eye disability, and acquired psychiatric disability due to outstanding VA treatment records and inadequate medical opinions. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is intertwined with these service connection issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate due to his service-connected knee disabilities. The evidence did not show that he required nursing home care, regular aid and attendance of another person, or was permanently housebound.