Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 20 percent, with a separate 10 percent evaluation for limitation of extension. The claim for an increased rating was denied, but the separate extension evaluation was granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, including total left knee replacement due to degenerative arthritis and right knee degenerative arthritis. The decision is based on direct service connection as there is a positive nexus between the Veteran's in-service experiences and his current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the Veteran's hip and left knee disorders as secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability. The issue of whether an extraschedular rating is warranted for the left ankle disability will also be addressed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss disability. The Veteran's tinnitus, however, was found to be related to his combat service and granted.,Service connection for tinnitus has been established due to the Veteran's reports of noise exposure during active duty and the presumption under 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b).

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including chronic shoulder, wrist, foot, and knee disorders, as well as COPD, due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

Service connection is granted for left and right knee conditions.,PTSD rating of 70 percent, but no higher, is granted prior to January 27, 2016. An increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD from January 27, 2016, is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee condition, left and right achilles tendonitis, residuals of deviated nasal septum, and residuals of heat stroke.,Service connection was also denied for the above conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for chronic cough, migraines (headaches), acid reflux, left knee disability, and right ankle disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's TDIU claim was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for total right and left knee replacements, finding that the osteoarthritis leading to these surgeries is at least as likely as not due to or a progression of his service-connected internal derangement of the knees. The temporary total ratings for both knees are also granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed disabilities, particularly those related to radiation exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cardiomyopathy, as well as the ratings for right and left knee disabilities due to incomplete compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disorder. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether the condition is related to service, including a specific in-service injury, and if it is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left knee strain is aggravated by his service-connected right knee disorders.

The Veteran's claims for neck, low back, and right knee disabilities have been reopened. The low back disability claim is remanded due to new evidence received since the April 2014 rating decision. The right knee and right hip disability claims are also remanded as they may be related to service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and right elbow disabilities, finding that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee tricompartmental degenerative osteoarthrosis, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are at least as likely as not caused by his time in active service.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and remanded the claim of an initial rating higher than 70 percent for TBI with bipolar disorder, manic episode with mixed features. The Veteran's petition to reopen his right knee osteoarthritis claim was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is related to his active duty service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and extraschedular TDIU was denied as he does not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.