Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims and rating appeals due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for arthritic pain in the hands, arms, back, and legs; a low back disability; a right knee disability; and a left knee disability. The claim for hepatitis C was also reopened.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of left knee disability, pulmonary disability, and bilateral hearing loss due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral hand disability, and right knee disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is requested to provide any additional records related to his service treatment and post-service treatment.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a right knee disability is granted. The respiratory disability claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was denied an initial rating higher than 20 percent prior to June 10, 2021 and a rating higher than 30 percent from that date.,The Veteran's thoracic spine disability was denied an initial rating higher than 20 percent prior to June 10, 2021 and a rating higher than 40 percent from that date.,The Veteran's right knee disability was denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent prior to June 10, 2021 and a rating higher than 30 percent from that date.,The Veteran's left knee disability was denied an initial rating higher than 10 percent prior to June 10, 2021 and a rating higher than 30 percent from that date.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease, finding that his current condition is etiologically related to his active service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to January 5, 2021 is granted. The claim for a higher rating from January 5, 2021 is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for PVD of the RLE and LLE are remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed before a decision can be made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hip, knee, and elbow disabilities due to insufficient opinions regarding their relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for neck, throat, right knee, and left hip disabilities. Service connection was also dismissed for a chest pain condition.,Issues related to lip papilloma, left toe disability, and lip papilloma residuals are still pending and require further examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a new examination that complies with certain legal requirements.

The Board has remanded the service connection issues for low back disorder, neck disorder, bilateral knee disorder, right elbow disorder, and left shoulder disorder due to inadequate statements of reasons or bases in previous decisions.

The Veteran's bilateral knee instability, IVDS, and arthroscopy scars are being remanded for further examination and opinion. The service connection for his lumbar condition is also being remanded.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to adjudicate the claims for left knee arthritis, OSA with asthma, and TDIU. The appeals for these issues have been remanded.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and left ankle disabilities are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied service connection for GERD, TBI, headaches, bilateral knee disability, back disability, left shoulder disability, and heart disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right knee disability and tinnitus have been granted service connection. The left knee disability, claimed as secondary to the now-service-connected right knee disability, is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of a TDIU is denied as there was no service-connected disability prior to October 27, 2018. The rating decision that granted service connection for his bilateral knee TKAs effective October 27, 2018, became final.