Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disorders and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete development, including a lack of VA medical records and service treatment records. The AOJ is instructed to obtain these records and provide clarifying opinions from VA examiners regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's GAD is rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The TDIU claim has been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of low back disability and left knee disability for further examination and opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD have been reopened. The initial disability rating for painful scar residual of shrapnel fragment wound, claimed as SFW, right leg is denied. The initial compensable rating for left popliteal fossa scar residual of shrapnel fragment wound, claimed as SFW, right leg is also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to incomplete opinions regarding preexisting conditions, lack of discussion on lay statements, and need for continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to withdrawals. The remaining claims of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, posterior calcaneal bursitis (right foot), and atherosclerotic heart disease are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of evidence and a need for an updated VA examination. The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 30 percent from May 1, 2017 to April 10, 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased rating of various conditions, including a right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's left knee condition is currently rated at 30 percent under Diagnostic Code 5260.

The Board has found that additional attempts must be made to locate and obtain missing military personnel and service treatment records from March 1995 until July 2000 in order to confirm whether the Veteran suffered his claimed injuries in the line of duty. The Board also notes that the Veteran did not appear for his VA examinations due to medical travel restrictions.

The Veteran's appeals for hypertension, high cholesterol, and tinnitus have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for right knee disability, back disability, left knee disability, left hand disability, and right hand disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional VA and private treatment records, as well as further development based on those records.

The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for left knee strain with arthritis was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal. The claims for right knee disorder and PTSD are remanded.