Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's tinea versicolor, affecting 20 to 40 percent of exposed body area, is granted a 30 percent initial rating from August 1, 2012. Other service connection claims are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various ankle, back, hip, and knee conditions due to incomplete medical opinions and lack of an examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of his left knee, lumbar spine, and right knee conditions due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The cases are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s lumbar spine condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral foot and knee disabilities, lower extremity radiculopathy, and a lower back disability, prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience since May 22, 2018.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities (left and right meniscal tears with shin splints) are currently rated at 10% each, but the Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and therefore, service connection is denied. The claims for left ankle degenerative arthritis, left foot degenerative arthritis, left hand degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis (bilateral), right knee degenerative arthritis (bilateral), left wrist degenerative arthritis, and right wrist degenerative arthritis are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has reinstated service connection for PTSD and granted entitlement to a TDIU based on the Veteran's multiple service-connected disabilities preventing her from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 9, 2016 for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no indication of a prior claim. The effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been assigned based on the date of the initial claim.,An earlier effective date of March 9, 2015 was granted for left leg amputation below the knee and SMC based on anatomical loss of the left lower extremity below the knee as the Veteran's claims encompassed these conditions at the time he filed his April 2016 claim.,An earlier effective date of March 9, 2015 was granted for right lower extremity peripheral vascular disease and left lower extremity peripheral vascular disease based on liberalizing legislation regarding herbicide agent exposure. The earliest effective date is one year prior to the receipt of his intent to file.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 30, 2016 for service connection for left lower extremity peripheral vascular disease was denied as there is no indication that this condition existed at the time he filed his April 2016 claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on loss of use due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and urinary incontinence due to lack of evidence associating these conditions with his period of active service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. Service connection for PTSD, left calf muscle condition, and both knee disabilities were denied.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of broken left finger, left hernia, status post repair, headaches, right knee disability and right shoulder disability are all denied.,Service connection is not granted for any of the claimed conditions as there is no evidence showing a current disability or link to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and right knee disorders due to a duty-to-assist error. The VA will obtain additional medical records and provide an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and a need for VA examinations. The issues include service connection for various disabilities, with some related to an in-service fall.

Your claim for service connection for a left knee condition has been fully granted in a previous rating decision, and thus the current appeal is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, right knee instability, or left knee instability. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has granted a 100 percent rating for bipolar disorder and TDIU, but the claims of service connection for OSA and knee disorders are remanded due to inadequate VA opinions.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received since the prior final denial, warranting readjudication of the claims for service connection for anxiety disorder, mood disorder, sleep disorder, malnutrition (claimed as avitaminosis), and left knee disorder. The AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran's service periods and schedule a VA examination to determine if the claimed disorders are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a failure to ensure that VA's duty to assist was satisfied. Specifically, the Veteran’s in-service injuries resulting from a motorcycle accident on August 11, 1990 are at issue and medical evidence of treatment immediately after the accident is relevant.

The Veteran's right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome were denied increased ratings as the evidence did not show any limitation of motion or instability that would warrant a higher rating.