Knee decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee strain is being remanded due to the need for a new examination to assess the current severity of her condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions and their relationship to service. The claims include service connection for left calf, knee, lumbosacral spine, lower extremity radiculopathy, and any acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD.

The Board has remanded the issue of an evaluation in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder, but denied the TDIU claim as the Veteran was employed full-time prior to March 20, 2019.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss claims are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury that would support service connection.,The Veteran's right knee condition claim is remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran's arthritis is at least as likely as not related to service.

Service connection is granted for degenerative joint disease of the right knee. The Veteran's PTSD remains at a 30 percent rating, with no higher as his symptoms do not meet criteria for a 50% or higher rating. Entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and initial compensable evaluations are being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. Specifically, VA treatment records from the VA Outpatient Clinic in Conroe, Texas need to be obtained.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection of her right knee degenerative joint disease as secondary to her service-connected right foot hallux valgus.

The Veteran's right knee ligament strain and instability have been granted a 10% disability rating, effective from March 30, 2012, through August 21, 2013. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The claim for an initial compensable rating for a right ring finger residual scar is denied, as the current noncompensable rating adequately reflects the severity of the disability.,Service connection for tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, stroke, bronchitis, and right knee injury and numbness are all denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to incomplete development of evidence, including obtaining workers' compensation records and additional VA treatment records. The RO is also requested to obtain qualifications information on the April 2021 VA examiner if deemed necessary.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right and left knee degenerative joint disease, as well as his claim for service connection for hypertension due to lack of recent VA treatment records and need for further examination.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the remand directives and has therefore ordered a new examination to determine if the Veteran's right knee and lower back disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left knee condition, which is service-connected as secondary to his right foot disability, needs further examination and medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee, right shoulder impingement syndrome, and left shoulder impingement syndrome were denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date for his left knee disability are being remanded. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricability with the other issues.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's statements regarding his left knee symptoms and continuity of symptomatology. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine if his current left knee disability is related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current knee conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for her service-connected right and left knee limitations of motion were denied. The Board found that the current disability ratings adequately reflect the severity of the disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee and left hip disabilities, finding that the VA examinations were inadequate due to a lack of consideration of lay evidence regarding observable symptoms. The Veteran is required to undergo further examination to determine if his current conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee arthritis is service-connected, as there is at least equipoise evidence supporting this conclusion.