Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claim for a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities. Additional development is needed, including contacting the Veteran's former employers and reviewing newly received evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new one must be conducted to determine if the Veteran's bilateral knee condition is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and new evidence. The Veteran's right knee disability is being reviewed again for service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee and right leg conditions due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability and chronic pneumonia is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for left total knee arthroplasty prior to April 8, 2019, and in excess of 30 percent from June 1, 2020, as well as the issue of TDIU are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD and anxiety disorder and depressive disorder have been granted.,The Veteran's claim of a compensable disability rating for right hip strain has been remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's right knee instability and limitation of motion have been rated at 30 percent since March 1, 2020. The rating is based on the current functional impairment due to his service-connected DJD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, low back, and right knee disabilities have been reopened. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received to reopen these claims.,Service connection for hypertension is denied as there is no competent medical evidence showing the Veteran currently has a diagnosis of hypertension.

Service connection granted for bilateral kidney disease and right knee disability. Service connection denied for arthritis of the entire joint system and GERD.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was not shown in service and is not otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and a new VA examination to determine if a higher rating is warranted for the Veteran's right knee condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are being reviewed again with an addendum opinion from a different examiner.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his left knee disability and TDIU due to issues with the examination provided, as well as the Veteran's reported worsening quality of life.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including his status-post total knee replacement and prior degenerative changes, is rated at 30 percent from July 1, 2015. The claim for increased ratings was denied as the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and readjudication due to inadequate examinations in the previous rating decisions.

The Board has determined that additional evidence was submitted and a new examination is needed for the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability due to a potential worsening since his last VA examination. The right knee patellofemoral syndrome claim also needs further review.

The Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of right calcaneal fracture, finding that the additional disabilities were not caused by VA's care.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and for increased ratings for left knee patella femoral syndrome and chronic left ankle sprain have been denied. The Veteran was found not to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD or social phobia at any time during the period on appeal.