Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition, increased rating for a left shoulder disability, and TDIU due to deficiencies in the VA examinations provided.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee and left knee disabilities. The Veteran's claims for other conditions are remanded.

A 20 percent rating, but no more, for a right hip strain with mild degenerative changes (limitation of extension) is granted. A rating in excess of 10 percent for a right knee strain with mild degenerative changes is denied. Service connection for residuals of a pelvis fracture is denied. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability, which includes painful restricted motion with flexion at worst to 60 degrees and full extension to 0 degrees, is rated 10 percent under Code 5259. The criteria for a higher rating have not been met.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's service connection claims for right and left knee disabilities due to new evidence received since the February 2012 denial. The appeal is granted as to these issues, but further examination is needed to determine if there are current disabilities related to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen her sleep apnea claim is granted, and she is entitled to an effective date prior to October 31, 2015 for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The Board has determined that a VA examination is necessary to determine the etiology of her sleep apnea and to assess the current severity of her PTSD, cluster headaches, right foot heel spur, left ankle sprain with heel spurs, and patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee.

The Board dismissed all appeals as the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings prior to August 28, 2018 were denied. From October 1, 2019, the claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for left knee status post total knee replacement was also denied.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease, generalized claimed as joint pain due to undiagnosed illness and other conditions. The appeal is based on previous decisions that have already considered these issues.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient examination regarding the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected left and right knee disabilities, including complaints of instability, ACL damage, fluid on knees, and 'popping and cracking'.

The Board has granted service connection for rhinitis, sleep apnea, and a low back condition. The claims for right knee pain, left knee pain, right ankle condition, left ankle condition, right shoulder condition, and right bicep condition are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's in-service knee injury and post-service symptoms. The claim will be reconsidered with a new examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, left knee, right knee, right ankle, and peripheral neuropathy prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded several claims related to the Veteran's service connection for various conditions, including low back pain with arthritis, right and left knee chondromalacia patellofemoral (claimed as arthritis), obstructive sleep apnea, pitting edema of the lower extremities, esophagitis and hiatal hernia with varices and GERD and aspiration pneumonia, and TBI. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as left and right carpal tunnel syndromes. The Board found that the Veteran's current knee and wrist conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's hyperhidrosis and allergic rhinitis are not service-connected, and the ratings for knee and shin splints disabilities have been denied.,Ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left patellofemoral syndrome, as well as compensable ratings for right and left leg shin splints, were also denied.

The Board has dismissed the service connection claims for right and left knee conditions due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the knees and thoracolumbar spine, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, bilateral shoulder, and lumbar spine disabilities have been granted. The claim for service connection for dizziness is remanded.