Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's OSA is being remanded for further examination to determine if it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for residuals of a right meniscectomy with DJD prior to July 12, 2010 was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for total right knee replacement from November 1, 2011 was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations of his left shoulder, low back, and bilateral knee disabilities. The current severity of these conditions will be assessed in order to determine appropriate ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of increased ratings for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee status post lateral meniscus debridement and synovectomy, and service connection for a back disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee disability, as well as obtaining updated treatment records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his right knee disability, which he claims was caused or aggravated by his active duty service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of October 1, 2009.

The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder, arthritis of the back, headaches, cephalgia, arthritis of the knees, ankles, foot pain, leg pain, stomach condition, and residuals of stroke are not service-connected.,The Veteran's macular drusen, dry eye syndrome, and cataracts may be secondary to his headaches.

The Veteran's initial rating for a lumbar spine disorder is granted at 40 percent, effective from the date of this decision. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is also granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee strain before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's disability evaluation from 20% to 10% was not proper and has restored the 20% rating effective November 1, 2015. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability was a contributory cause of his death, and the Board has granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral leg disability, to include knee arthritis. The claim for service connection for a concussion, to include residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), is remanded due to outstanding medical records.,Service connection was not granted as there is no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or bilateral leg disability in accordance with VA standards and the Veteran's claims are based on direct service connection. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for a higher rating of his service-connected left knee disability is denied.,The Veteran does not have a compensable rating for the service-connected left knee scar.,The Veteran is granted TDIU on a schedular basis from March 15, 2013. However, the issue of whether he should be granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to that date remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for chronic left knee sprain with minimal DJD, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear employment status and incomplete functional impact assessments of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to complete additional development, including determining work history and income during the appeal period, obtaining opinions on the functional impact of the Veteran's disabilities, and scheduling the Veteran for examinations.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hemorrhoids is granted. The Board remanded the claims for right hip and right knee disabilities due to potential secondary effects from a service-connected right foot disability.

The Board has denied all service connection claims for various conditions, including nerve damage, tinnitus, bipolar disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee disability, carpal tunnel syndrome, gastritis, bilateral hearing loss, and fibromyalgia. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that there may be outstanding VA and private treatment records relevant to the Veteran's claims on appeal, including those from the 1970s and 1990s. The claims are being remanded for the purpose of obtaining these records.