Knee decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left shoulder condition and left knee strain are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling new VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and separate compensable ratings have been remanded due to the need for additional information from examiners. The issues of right knee disorder, hernia, muscle fatigue, bladder and urinary symptoms associated with mechanical low back pain, and bowel symptoms associated with mechanical low back pain are being addressed.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder, left ankle, right knee, and left knee disorders.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not include bilateral knee conditions, so they are ineligible for a clothing allowance.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, right knee sprain, and right knee instability were denied. The rating for PTSD was not granted as the symptoms did not meet criteria for a higher rating. Ratings for right knee sprain and instability prior to September 4, 2019, and since that date, were also denied.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Both right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each due to painful motion.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for back, left knee, left wrist, and left shoulder disabilities due to inadequate VA medical opinions. Further development is needed.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine condition and left knee condition, due to a lack of recent VA examinations and missing medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for onychomycosis, heart condition, to include coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and gout are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition, to include coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and gout are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and gout are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for gout is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain updated VA treatment records and readjudicate the claims for right hip joint replacement, right hip osteoarthritis limitation of abduction, right hip osteoarthritis limitation of flexion, and right knee osteoarthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee and right hand disabilities due to insufficient examination findings regarding functional loss during flare-ups and repetitive use, as well as outdated rating criteria.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and reopening of previously denied claims. The main issue is that there is insufficient evidence to determine if any of these conditions had onset during or are otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, insomnia, psoriasis, a low back disability, a right knee disability, and a respiratory disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine condition, right knee condition, and right elbow lateral epicondylitis due to inadequate addendum opinions from the same examiner. The VA is required to obtain new addendum opinions from a different examiner.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of service personnel records. The claim will be remanded to obtain these records and to schedule VA examinations to determine the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a bone condition secondary to left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, tendonitis, ear condition (secondary to bilateral hearing loss and/or tinnitus), sleep disorder (other than sleep apnea), and left knee disorder. The evidence does not support these claims.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that the evidence was not in favor of a link between the condition and active service.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for right elbow, left elbow, right knee, left knee, and right wrist disabilities due to insufficient examination findings regarding their etiology.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding his claims of acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his left knee, right knee, skin disability (due to Camp Lejeune exposure), and left elbow conditions. The appeals are now pending with the RO for further development.