Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability due to inadequate examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA treatment records and uncompleted service treatment record searches. The Veteran's bilateral knee condition claim will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye disability is denied as there is no evidence of an eye condition other than refractive error, which does not constitute a disability for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for pseudofolliculitis has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim remains remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate examination and rating criteria revisions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to inadequate medical opinions. The main issues are about right knee, bilateral hand, Achilles tendonitis, left knee and foot disabilities, as well as lumbar spine and upper back disabilities.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disability and a disorder manifested by tremors (to include Parkinson's disease) require further examination to determine their etiology. The case is being remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for increased evaluations for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a TDIU prior to December 1, 2020. The remand requires obtaining retrospective medical opinions regarding range of motion loss throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for an additional disability rating of 10 percent for instability of the right knee from August 2, 2019 was granted. The claim for a higher rating for right knee osteoarthritis remained denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, finding that it is related to the Veteran's service-connected cervical and/or lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his right knee degenerative joint disease was denied. However, he received a separate 20 percent rating for moderate instability of the right knee.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in medical records and need for clarification on certain issues. The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent prior to October 17, 2019, and 20 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine/neck disorder, lumbar spine/back disorder, right knee disorder, right ankle disorder, right thumb disorder, and bilateral hearing loss as the appellant did not have a disability during ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA that was aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various hip, knee, shoulder, and spine conditions are being remanded due to the failure of VA to schedule examinations as instructed in a previous Board decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee traumatic arthritis, finding that the evidence did not show flexion limited to less than 30 degrees or extension limited to less than 10 degrees, which would warrant a higher rating. The current 10 percent rating is considered appropriate.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for TBI, left knee disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability are inadequate. The Veteran's service treatment records indicate an intracranial injury without skull fracture and history of concussion. Therefore, a new examination is required to determine if the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service head injury.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic back, right knee, and right wrist disorders on a presumptive basis as they manifested to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to unverified National Guard service records, which may affect the Veteran's right knee disability claim.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for thoracolumbar spine, left knee, left hip, and cervical spine disabilities due to incomplete development and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disorder is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.