Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has granted reopening of the previously denied claim for service connection for right knee disability. The case is now remanded to develop additional evidence, including workers' compensation records and VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to inconsistencies in previous examinations and conflicting evidence regarding his right lower extremity muscle atrophy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a right eye disability, left shoulder and elbow disabilities, knee disabilities, and bilateral foot disabilities. The remand requests additional medical opinions to address whether these conditions are related to active service or secondary to his service-connected spinal stenosis.

The Board has remanded several claims, including those for higher ratings for fibromyalgia and a psychiatric disability, as well as the left knee disabilities. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a pain disorder or mood disorder is also inextricably intertwined with his fibromyalgia and psychiatric disability claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and an addendum opinion on service connection for polymorphic light eruption and Hashimoto's disease. The right knee disability claim is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including chronic headaches, a lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity neurological disorder (claimed as neuropathy), left knee disability, dizziness/vertigo, sleep disability (to include sleep apnea), and diabetes mellitus. The Board has remanded these issues to obtain VA medical opinions regarding the nature and likely etiology of each condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left knee total arthroplasty was denied. The Board found that the earliest effective date permitted under the law is November 7, 2016.,The Veteran's TDIU claim prior to January 22, 2019 was remanded for further development and referral to the Director of Compensation Service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's left knee disability. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various hand, knee, and wrist disabilities due to insufficient examination reports that did not consider the Veteran's lay statements about symptoms since service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate consideration of the Veteran's lay statements and failure to consider a relevant article. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the Veteran's claims for increased ratings can be adjudicated. The claim will be remanded to allow for additional examination and consideration of the evidence.

The Veteran's current anxiety disorder is proximately due to, or the result of, his adjudicated service-connected disabilities. Service connection for an anxiety disorder as secondary to his service-connected disabilities has been granted.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has found that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate for the claims of service connection for bilateral hip and knee disabilities, as well as left ear hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims are remanded to obtain a new examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee instability are denied due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right total knee replacement due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left ankle and left knee disability, finding no evidence to support these conditions or their relationship to service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a nexus between the condition and active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, lower back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient evidence from previous VA examinations. The case will be returned for further review.