Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an updated VA examination to assess the Veteran's right wrist condition and determine if his symptoms are related to his service-connected fracture residuals.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis. The claims for reopening of previously denied knee disabilities and a respiratory disorder were remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and missing VA records. A new examination is required, including consideration of instability.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for left and right knee arthritis due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral heel spurs and right knee condition due to deficiencies in the left eye and left knee examinations. The Veteran's current diagnoses do not support a finding that his conditions are related to his military service.

The claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an updated examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and eustachian tube dysfunction. The claims for increased ratings on the cervical spine strain, lumbosacral strain, limitation of flexion due to left hip trochanteric pain syndrome, limitation of extension due to left hip trochanteric pain syndrome, impairment of the thigh due to left hip trochanteric pain syndrome, limitation of flexion due to right hip trochanteric pain syndrome, and impairment of the thigh due to right hip trochanteric pain syndrome are remanded. The claim for TDIU is also remanded.

The Veteran's right knee condition is currently rated at 10 percent for osteoarthritis and a separate rating of 10 percent for instability from October 1, 2018 to January 24, 2022. The Board has remanded the case due to issues with his right knee instability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional information regarding whether any right knee disability is related to service, specifically a motor vehicle accident in service resulting in right leg surgery. The Veteran's right ankle and left knee disabilities are already service-connected.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, was denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent prior to April 13, 2017, and a rating in excess of 70 percent from that date.,The Veteran's allergic rhinitis was denied an initial compensable rating prior to December 30, 2019.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right hip and knee disabilities due to incomplete development of records from VA Long Beach prior to 2012, as well as a need for a VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate examination in determining his current level of disability and functional loss.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disabilities due to incomplete examination and need for additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability for VA purposes.,The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for upper back, right ankle, and right knee disabilities due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA.,Further development is needed to determine if any of these disabilities are related to the Veteran's service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability was reopened and granted. The claims for toxic optic neuropathy, right hip osteonecrosis, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, muscle spasms of the neck, back, arms, fingers, legs and toes, seizure disorder, migraine headaches, right thigh disability, bone disorder, brain tumor, neurological disabilities of the upper extremities, and service connection for a left knee disability are all granted.,The Veteran's toxic optic neuropathy is secondary to his service-connected pain disorder and depression with history of self-medicating with alcohol. His right hip osteonecrosis is also secondary to his service-connected pain disorder and depression with history of self-medicating with alcohol. The bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, muscle spasms of the neck, back, arms, fingers, legs and toes, seizure disorder, migraine headaches, right thigh disability, bone disorder, brain tumor, neurological disabilities of the upper extremities are all secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, and his claim is denied.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated based on painful motion, with no higher ratings available under the current rating criteria.,Service connection for a low back strain has been remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence, including a lack of VA examination records. The Veteran will be provided with an examination to determine if his current knee disabilities are related to in-service injuries.

The Board has decided that the VA needs to conduct additional examinations for the Veteran's right and left knee conditions due to incomplete reasoning in previous evaluations. The issues of service connection for these conditions are now remanded.