Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for migraine headaches is granted as of January 30, 2012. The effective date for the 50 percent rating remains January 9, 2014.

The Board has found the record incomplete and remanded for obtaining missing VA medical records, as well as for providing updated VA examinations to assess the Veteran's right knee disability and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 8, 2015 for service connection of left knee condition was denied.,Service connection for right knee condition diagnosed as osteoarthritis of the right knee was granted.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, and hypertension. Service connection was not granted for dermatitis.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's claims for right foot and chest pain disabilities. The left shoulder disability is granted with service connection established. The low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities are remanded for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to November 14, 2019, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter. The evidence did not support finding that the current disabilities were related to service.

The Board denied an increased rating for left knee osteoarthritis, but granted a separate 10 percent disability rating for instability of the left knee effective March 20, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee, elbow, and hand disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected psoriasis condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and evaluations to determine the current severity of his service-connected conditions, specifically his degenerative changes of the left knee, mechanical low back pain with degenerative changes of the thoracolumbar spine, and PTSD. The issues include seeking increased ratings for these conditions.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for a right knee disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety, stress, and depression) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient examination and lack of complete personnel records. The case is returned for further development, including obtaining a VA examiner's opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's current knee conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current knee disabilities and service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected left and right knee disabilities, as his symptoms have worsened since the last examination in December 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee collateral damage, status post knee replacement is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. His acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD with insomnia and paranoid thoughts, is also granted.

The Veteran's right knee DJD with limitation of flexion and extension was granted a rating from December 1, 2011, to May 11, 2016. The rating for the right knee status post total right knee arthroplasty was also granted during this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various right hip, knee, and leg disabilities due to incomplete or insufficient medical opinions provided in prior examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition and a left foot condition, but has remanded these issues due to the need for an etiology opinion.

The Veteran's left and right knee arthritis are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the Board finds that they do not warrant a higher rating based on their current symptoms.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, right knee, left knee, and left ankle conditions. However, these claims are still pending as they have been remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support such a higher rating given his symptoms and functional limitations.