Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's right knee strain with degenerative joint disease has not been manifested by limitation of flexion to 30 degrees or less, limitation of extension to 10 degrees or more, ankylosis, dislocated semilunar cartilage, recurrent subluxation or instability, or impairment of the tibia and/or fibula. As such, his claim for a higher initial rating is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate March 2019 VA examination report, and will conduct a new examination to determine if the Veteran's left knee disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for reopening a previous denial of service connection for left knee disability is granted. The case is remanded to determine if the condition is related to active duty service or secondary to other conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, with a current evaluation of 0%.,The Veteran's left knee and back disabilities have not yet reached the criteria for increased ratings.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected right and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional retrospective medical opinions regarding the severity of his symptoms since March 2006.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for right knee disabilities and the issue of entitlement to TDIU due to inextricably intertwined issues. The Veteran is also required to be provided with a VA examination to assess the severity of his right knee disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to March 23, 2021, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for left knee strain.

The Veteran's right and left total knee replacements are currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 5055. The Board finds that the residuals of the knee replacements do not warrant a higher disability rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for back and neck disabilities, as well as right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's left knee disorder is not service connected as it is not related to his service-connected right knee disorder.,The Veteran's post-traumatic headaches do not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder, low back, and left knee conditions due to incomplete service records. The Veteran is asked to provide authorization for private treatment records related to his disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for right elbow arthritis, left elbow arthritis, right knee arthritis, and left knee arthritis. The claim for traumatic brain injury (TBI) was also denied.,Service connection was not granted as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left hip and left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of any injury or disease during active service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sinusitis was denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of sinusitis and concluded that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his in-service duties.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for his service-connected left knee disabilities due to additional evidence and potential changes in VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to a need for additional medical examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, left knee status post total arthroplasty (left knee disability), and bilateral foot disability, all secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The claim for service connection for pelvis misalignment is denied due to lack of evidence supporting the diagnosis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for early compartment regional pain syndrome, tension headaches, and seborrheic dermatitis have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining private mental health treatment records and scheduling a VA psychiatric examination to determine if any acquired psychiatric disorder is related to service.

The appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims. The low back disability, OSA, acquired psychiatric disorder (excluding PTSD), right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right knee chondromalacia patella, and left knee chondromalacia patella claims have all been reopened.