Knee decisions — 2020

The appeal of the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is dismissed.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there was no evidence of current bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes.,An effective date earlier than May 24, 2012, for the grant of TDIU is denied because the Veteran did not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU prior to that date.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on several service-connected disabilities have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded cases involving the Veteran's left shoulder, lumbar spine, and lower extremity disabilities due to new evidence. Additionally, a TDIU claim is being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with other claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for his right knee conditions and a TDIU claim due to procedural issues, including the need for issuance of SOC regarding right knee arthritis and reduced rating.

The Board denied service connection for a mental health disorder, including a sleep disorder. The decision also remanded the issues of service connection for right and left knee disabilities secondary to service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis.,Further examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are related to his service-connected bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of left inner-ear condition, type I decompression sickness (DCS) of the right elbow, and residuals of type II cerebral DCS. The right knee injury and degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his left leg, right foot, and left hip disabilities, as well as his patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee. The cases are being returned to the AOJ for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disability and entitlement to TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The decision is pending further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's right ankle disability was rated at 10% prior to September 1, 2016 and increased to 20% after that date.,The Veteran's right knee instability was rated at 10% before October 12, 2019 and denied after that date.

The Board has ordered further development for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a Baker’s cyst of the right knee and testicular cancer due to missing VA examinations.

The Board has found that a remand is necessary to assess the current level of impairment due to worsening symptoms and additional VA treatment, including physical therapy and cortisone shots. A new examination is required to accurately assess the left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating of his knee disability has been withdrawn. His current combined rating is at 100 percent, effective January 17, 2017.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including a medial meniscus tear and degenerative arthritis, is currently rated at 20 percent. The current evaluation does not meet the criteria for an increased rating as his symptoms do not warrant higher evaluations under relevant diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development of records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether the amputation of her left leg above the knee was caused by delay in proper diagnosis and/or treatment or carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault by VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and cervical spine disabilities have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine disability, finding it proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected residuals of fracture to right tibia with ankle disability. The decision on right knee disability is pending as it was remanded and requires further examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, but has remanded both claims due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship between the current condition and active service.

The Veteran's left knee disability is being remanded for further evaluation, and a TDIU claim is also being remanded due to the need for additional information from SSA.