Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as bilateral pes planus. The claims are being returned to VA for further development, including obtaining missing personnel records and providing a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that the current diagnoses are not causally related to service.

The claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations. The Veteran's current diagnoses of cyst, lumbar spine disorder, respiratory disorder, neck disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, depressive disorder, and PTSD are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and left knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service. The right knee and left ankle disabilities are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the minimum criteria for a TDIU, as his combined rating is only 60%. The Board finds that he has maintained continuous or near continuous gainful employment and does not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU award.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination reports and failure to address lay evidence. The Veteran's right knee disability is being reviewed for a new evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for left trigger (index) finger disability and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to September 17, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and denied service connection for cervical spine, right hip, left hip, right knee, chest, stomach, heartburn, and unspecified depressive disorder disabilities. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service complaints and current diagnoses.

The Veteran's asthma, rhinitis, and sleep apnea have been granted service connection. The initial compensable disability ratings for IBS and left knee patella chondritis were denied. The appeal on lumbar degenerative disc disease, dermatitis, PTSD, chronic sinusitis, GERD, gall bladder disease, post cholecystectomy, headaches, and chronic fatigue syndrome is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to outstanding VA and Social Security Administration records that need to be obtained for a complete review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The cervical spine arthritis claim was denied with a rating greater than 10 percent prior to November 13, 2016 and 30 percent thereafter. Claims for bilateral pes planus, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, right hand disorder, right shoulder disorder, and right hip disorder were also denied.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis, joint pain, bilateral knee disabilities, hypertension, and prostate cancer as the evidence did not show an in-service event, injury, or disease related to these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new and material evidence. Service connection is granted for this condition, as well as for a headache disorder. The claims for chronic neck disorder, chronic back disorder, chronic right knee disorder, and chronic left knee disorder are denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his left knee disability and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for the left knee disability, as it did not meet the criteria for ankylosis or other specific diagnostic codes. For TDIU, the Veteran was employed full-time in various positions during the appeal period, which prevented him from being considered unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the previous remand directives were not substantially complied with and another remand is warranted. The Veteran's TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for knee conditions and back conditions are inadequate, and thus remands these claims for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasons and bases for denying service connection for a right knee disorder, specifically failing to consider whether the Veteran's right knee pain constitutes a current disorder. The matter is now being remanded again for compliance with previous orders.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that the condition is less likely than not related to service or caused by the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has denied service connection for a back disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a right leg disability due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right knee disability is rated at 30 percent, the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261. The right shoulder disability remains at a 20 percent rating.