Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his in-service fall and its impact on his current disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cardiomegaly, hypertension, a left thumb contusion, and a right knee disability due to VA's failure to obtain the Veteran's complete Social Security Administration records and to determine whether an examination is required in light of potentially favorable evidence in his available service treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination regarding secondary service connection for a bilateral knee disability. The Veteran seeks service connection for his knees, which he claims were injured in service and are related to his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee patellofemoral syndrome and right knee chondromalacia (patellofemoral syndrome) as they are related to the Veteran's military service. The claim of entitlement to service connection for status post cholecystectomy, claimed as gallstones is remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing its onset in or relation to her military service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to lack of substantial compliance with previous directives and the need for additional evidence. The Veteran's left ankle disability may have preexisted his active duty service, but a VA examination is needed to determine if it was aggravated during that time. For the left knee disability, a new VA examination is required as the Board relied on an inadequate one in its decision.

The Veteran was granted a rating of 70 percent for PTSD for the entire period on appeal.,A TDIU was also granted prior to March 9, 2017. The issue of a TDIU beginning March 9, 2017 is dismissed as the Veteran has been in receipt of a schedular 100 percent rating since that date.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his right knee degenerative joint disease and instability remains denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia but has remanded the issue of determining the right knee disability's etiology and whether it is aggravated by fibromyalgia.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and denied service connection for sleep apnea, gout, and bilateral knee disability. The decision on the issue of service connection for sinus problems is remanded.

The Veteran's varicose veins are not service-connected, and his right knee condition is rated at 30 percent from May 2, 2016 to December 10, 2017. His left hip degenerative joint disease is also rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for his right and left total knee replacements, as well as his bilateral hearing loss, are denied. The current ratings of 30 percent for each knee and 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss are upheld.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examinations and inextricably intertwined issues. The Veteran needs new evaluations for her left knee and left ankle disorders.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including limitation of flexion and instability, is rated at 10 percent. The Veteran also has separate ratings for focal neuropathy involving the common peroneal nerve (20 percent) and femoral nerve (20 percent).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete compliance with previous directives and new evidence is needed. The issues include left shoulder, left knee, right knee, low back, and sciatica (left side) disorders.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.,Service connection is granted for hypertension, as it was diagnosed within one year of separation from service and presumed related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, Raynaud's syndrome, right knee meniscectomy, left knee replacement, and cervical spine disorder are all granted as service-connected.,Service connection for the left shoulder disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, arthritis of the right knee, and arthritis of the left knee. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during or are otherwise related to his military service.

The Veteran's partial right knee replacement is currently rated at 10 percent prior to January 24, 2020 and 20 percent since that date. The Board finds the current ratings are appropriate.,For the period prior to January 24, 2020, the Veteran’s right knee was manifested by flexion to 130 degrees and extension to zero degrees with tenderness, swelling and pain; there was no evidence of recurrent subluxation, lateral instability, or dislocated semilunar cartilage. For the period since January 24, 2020, the Veteran’s right knee was manifested by flexion to 30 degrees and extension to zero degrees with tenderness, pain, swelling, weakness and fatigue; there was no evidence of recurrent subluxation, lateral instability, or dislocated semilunar cartilage.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right leg pain as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, and remanded the issue of an increased rating for a left arm scar.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as left and right knee disabilities, all claimed to be due to frostbite during active duty. The RO is directed to obtain any outstanding VA or private treatment records, including those from Dr. T.G., and schedule a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service.