Knee decisions — 2020

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of numbness in left hand and fingers, numbness in right hand and fingers, left wrist strain (claimed as left wrist arthritis), right wrist strain, and right knee condition to include as secondary to right ankle because the appeal was not properly filed.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the initial disability rating for left knee tibial fracture before a decision was made.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee and back disabilities, both claimed as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The rating of 10 percent for the left knee strain with degenerative arthritis is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for cesarean section residuals, left knee disorders, and right knee disorders. Service connection for COPD was not addressed as it is pending.

The Board has denied an increased rating for tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for degenerative arthritis of bilateral knees. The case is now returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board denied service connection for peripheral artery disease (PAD) due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, as the evidence did not show a link between the condition and service. The Veteran's current PAD was diagnosed in May 2015, over 25 years after his time at Camp Lejeune.,The Board also denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee, finding that there was no evidence showing a relationship to service or any compensable manifestation within one year post-service discharge.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder due to incomplete information in the record. The AOJ is instructed to clarify whether the Veteran is receiving disability benefits from SSA, obtain any relevant medical records, provide an examination, and readjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart condition, frostbite of the left foot, frostbite of the right foot, and a left knee disorder were denied. The claim for PTSD was reopened due to new evidence showing possible connections to in-service incidents.

The Board has determined that the Veteran requires regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features, left knee arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, lumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain, hiatal hernia, left elbow dislocation, hypertension, hemorrhoids, post laceration of the right thigh with residual scar, and right shoulder surgical scar associated with right shoulder arthritis. As a result, special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, depression, and an increased rating for a right knee condition due to additional evidence being added to his claim file.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar strain conditions are each rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that these evaluations do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.,For her knee, ankle, shoulder, hip, and urinary tract infection conditions, the Veteran's current evaluations remain unchanged as they are all rated at 10 percent.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for separate ratings of right and left knee instability, but has remanded the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Board has remanded the remaining issues for further development and examination.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70% evaluation, effective October 11, 2019. The other conditions were denied increased ratings.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the current nature and extent of all impairment due to the service-connected right knee disability. The Veteran is also seeking higher ratings for his right knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disorder, left knee disorder, cervical spine disorder (including degenerative arthritis), and gout due to duty to assist errors in obtaining relevant medical records and VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his left hip, right hip, lower back, and right knee disabilities as secondary to his service-connected residuals of fractured left medial malleolus. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for left foot pain, right foot pain, and left knee pain. The Veteran's conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to issues related to the appellant's service discharge and outstanding records from a Federal Correctional Complex.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left and right knees were denied as his knee disabilities did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.