Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inextricably intertwined issues, specifically regarding left below the knee amputation residuals. The case is being sent back for a VA medical opinion to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left below the knee amputation and its relationship to service-connected disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA examinations and requests for additional information.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10% and denied a higher rating. The right shoulder rotator cuff tear with tendonitis and acromioclavicular joint arthritis was previously rated at 20%, but the reduction to 30% has been found void ab initio. A higher rating for this condition after February 7, 2017 is also denied.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability remains at a 30% rating since February 7, 2017, and no higher rating is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and assessments.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate examinations and incomplete records. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for thoracic strain, left knee medial compartment narrowing status post ACL repair, and unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder with alcohol use disorder and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are being returned to the RO for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates before July 22, 2011 for service connection of neuroforaminal stenosis of the lumbar spine, left knee patellar tendonitis, right knee patellar tendonitis, and a right eyebrow scar.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left knee injury with anterior cruciate lesion, s/p ACL reconstruction, residuals is being remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the significance of the use of a brace and cane.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination. The Veteran's treatment records from 1997 at Yokota Air Force Base and all outstanding VA treatment records, including those from 2011, are required to be obtained.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right hip disorder, and left hip disorder due to inadequate medical opinions in previous VA examination reports.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current left or right hip disability during the appeal period.,There is also no evidence of a current left or right shoulder disability, and the Veteran's lay assertions cannot constitute competent medical evidence in support of a current diagnosis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine and left knee conditions due to insufficient evidence, including a need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of a right knee disability due to inadequate examination and lack of relevant medical records. The Veteran's right knee injury in 2000 is acknowledged, but there are concerns about the reliability of his reports and the absence of contemporaneous medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence added to the record after the last decision, and the effective date of the right knee meniscal disability rating needs to be reconsidered.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for further development, including a review of his educational and employment history in light of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing substantially gainful employment during the appeal period, and therefore his claim for a TDIU was denied.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and evaluation of the Veteran's right and left knee strain, as the current VA examination did not comply with the requirements in Sharp v. Shulkin.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection. Service connection for leukopenia and chronic neutropenia and left knee injury are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The remaining issues of service connection for arthralgia, low back disability, esophageal disability, and cardiac disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.