Knee Board decisions

Service connection for PTSD is dismissed.,An effective date earlier than March 2, 2018 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied.,There is no basis for an effective date prior to April 19, 2011 for the award of service connection for a right ankle disability.,As new and material evidence has been received, the service connection claim for a right knee condition is reopened. The issue will be remanded for further review.,A rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.,An effective date higher than 10 percent for the right ankle disability is also remanded.,The claim for TDIU remains pending and will be remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate opinions from previous VA examiners and missing SSA records. The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are being evaluated again.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial ratings assigned for his service-connected right knee disability is being remanded to ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist. The Veteran's appeal of the service connection claim for a lumbar spine disability is also being remanded due to the need for a new opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for left knee joint osteoarthritis, left knee instability, and TDIU due to inadequate examination records and failure to address certain issues.

The Board has determined that the VA examiners' opinions are inadequate and remands the case for further clarification of the Veteran's knee disorders, including obtaining records from his surgeries in 1995 and 2015.

The Veteran's request for restoration of the ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities and PTSD is granted. The Veteran also receives special monthly compensation at the housebound rate due to his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there was no current disability during the appeal period.,The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left shoulder/arm disability, and left knee disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 31, 2016, for the awards of service connection for tinnitus and scar, status post right knee arthroscopic surgery.,Service connection was denied for respiratory issues.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 20 percent, resolving his previous claim for a higher rating.,The Veteran's right knee disability is resolved with a 10 percent initial rating.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a back disorder, right foot disorder, left foot disorder, right knee disorder, and bilateral hearing loss due to potential errors in adjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of appendectomy are found to have caused her current bowel perforation and associated ileus, which in turn led to joint pain disorders. The appeal is granted for both the bowel perforation and related secondary joint pain disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of her claims related to left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, bulimia nervosa, right knee patellofemoral joint syndrome, and migraine headaches.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral vascular disease and his request for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right knee disability and instability were denied. The claim for an increased rating due to right knee instability was granted, but only up to a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of various knee, shoulder, elbow, and back disabilities have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection of right shoulder, left shoulder, right elbow, left elbow, low back, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities have also been dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his right hip disabilities, are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship between the hip and left knee disabilities and service-connected conditions. Additional development is needed, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing addendum opinions from appropriate clinicians.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back and left knee disabilities as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability due to incomplete VA opinions. The Veteran's abnormal gait is noted in both medical records.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and service connection for low back muscle strain, left knee condition, and right wrist condition. The claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's right knee disability with limitation of extension is not rated higher than the currently assigned 20 percent prior to January 7, 2021 and noncompensable since that date.,The Veteran's patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee does not warrant a rating in excess of the current 10 percent.,The Veteran's left knee disability with limitation of extension is not rated higher than the currently assigned 10 percent.,The Veteran's patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee does not warrant a rating in excess of the current 10 percent.,The Veteran's low back disability does not warrant a rating in excess of the current 10 percent.