Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 20 percent since December 11, 2018. The rating was increased from a previous 10 percent prior to that date.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right ankle, left ankle, right elbow, right foot, and right knee disorders due to inadequate medical opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has not yet decided whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen each individual claim.,Service connection was granted for tinnitus. The other claims remain pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, but his combined disability rating is sufficient to warrant consideration of extra-schedular TDIU. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and schedule the Veteran for an examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions, as all claims have been granted in prior rating decisions. The appeal for secondary service connection for diabetes mellitus is upheld.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee and spine conditions due to a lack of available service treatment records. The Veteran is requested to provide any additional relevant medical records, and he will be scheduled for VA examinations to assess his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for speech impediment, left knee chondromalacia, and right knee disability due to new evidence received since a previous denial. The Veteran's conditions are being reviewed again as they may be related to his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension and degenerative joint disease of the right knee are not service-connected. The case is remanded for further development regarding other claimed conditions.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 8515.,The Veteran's hemorrhoids are currently rated as noncompensable. The VA examiner noted that the Veteran’s hemorrhoids do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's left knee disability is related to service, and therefore grants service connection for a left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The issues of service connection for a bilateral knee condition, generalized anxiety disorder, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for various conditions, including lung disorder (COPD), acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), cervical spine disorder (neck strain), varicose veins, sleep apnea, and chronic heart disorder (MI). These issues are being remanded for additional VA examination to address conflicting medical opinions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for spine and bilateral knee conditions, but has remanded these issues due to insufficient evidence regarding the timing of her treatment.

The Veteran's lumbar strain disability is now rated at 20 percent, effective from April 29, 2019. His left knee degenerative joint disease continues to be rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee instability is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee limitation of motion is denied.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee and hip disorders, as well as whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and requests for additional information. The Veteran was not granted any new ratings or effective dates.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have not been found to meet the criteria for service connection as defined by VA regulations.,Service connection has been granted for tinnitus, but only if it is determined that the condition began during active duty or is related to such service.

The Board has found new and relevant evidence that may support the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder. The case is being remanded to allow the AOJ to conduct a de novo review of this issue.