Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left leg and right knee disorders have been granted, but the claims are still pending as they were reopened due to new evidence. The claim for a higher evaluation of right calcaneus fracture with loss of subtalar motion is also granted.,Service connection has not been established for either the left leg or right knee disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee and left hip disabilities, finding no evidence to support a nexus between current conditions and service.

The Board has determined that additional efforts are needed to obtain the Veteran's current address and schedule him for VA examinations. The claims for increased ratings, service connection, and secondary service connection will be remanded.

The Veteran's appeal includes requests for earlier effective dates for temporary total evaluations and SMC awards due to back surgery.,These issues are currently pending development.

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased ratings and service connection as they were withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the combined effects of his service-connected right knee disabilities, which prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment. The VA will refer the case for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for left knee, right hip, and lumbar spine disorders. The Veteran's current tinnitus disorder is etiologically related to his second period of active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus the Board has granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and low back disability (claimed as back pain) are not service-connected, while his bilateral knee disabilities remain under consideration due to their inextricably intertwined nature with the hip disability. The claims for these conditions are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 1, 2016. The Board denied entitlement to an extraschedular TDIU rating.

The Board has denied service connection for right ankle, right knee, left knee, right hip, and low back disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for a left knee disability, right knee disability, and back disability due to inadequate medical opinions in the July 2018 remand. Additional VA examinations are needed.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for various knee and wrist disorders, as well as a back disorder. Additional development is needed through VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's osteochondritis of the left knee.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied. The appeal for increased ratings for left knee subluxation and limitation of extension was granted with a 10% rating, effective from August 19, 2019.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding the adequacy of the VA medical examination and opinion provided for the service-connected left knee disability. The Veteran's claim will be returned to the AOJ for correction.

The Veteran's left knee brace, prescribed for his service-connected knee disability, tended to wear out or tear his clothing. The Board granted an annual clothing allowance for the 2019 calendar year.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been granted increased ratings for limitation of flexion with painful motion, extension to 10 degrees, and moderate instability. The right knee disability remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, left knee pain, right knee pain, heart disorder (ischemic heart disease), bilateral hearing loss, and back disorder are all granted. The claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes, skin condition, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, IBS, left shoulder pain, right shoulder pain, left knee pain, right knee pain, left hand pain, left arm pain, lower back pain, and bilateral toe conditions have all been denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for an upper respiratory disorder, diastolic heart failure (claimed as heart condition), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).