Knee Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disorders, osteoarthritis of the right hip and left knee, and a hernia disorder due to incomplete medical opinions regarding their etiology. Additionally, the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for residuals of fracture of the second toe middle phalanx is also remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for compensable evaluations for bilateral hearing loss, and initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent for right knee strain and left knee strain requires additional development due to missing VA examinations. The appeals are being remanded.

The Board has ordered the VA to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations for the Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities. The remand is due to incomplete documentation of requests for treatment records and insufficient opinions regarding service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and an examination of the Veteran's right knee instability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection of migraines, depression, left knee disorder, and fibromyalgia. However, the Veteran's claim for right leg and foot radiculopathy is denied as there is no current disability.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to a lack of private treatment records for bilateral knee conditions. The VA will continue efforts to obtain these records before addressing the TDIU claim.

The Board denied service connection for low back disorder, left knee disorder, and left hand numbness as there was no evidence of a nexus between the current conditions and service.

The Board has denied service connection for neck, left knee, right knee, left ankle, right ankle, and both feet disabilities as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been remanded by the Board due to incomplete development. The left knee disability remains rated at 20 percent, effective February 11, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for paralyzed true right vocal cord and a separate 10 percent disability rating for left knee injury have been denied. The Veteran is currently receiving a 10 percent disability rating for the left knee injury.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for service-connected left knee chondromalacia patella was denied, and the effective date for the increased rating was not granted earlier than January 15, 2015.

The Board has denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus (DM2) and remanded the right knee disorder claim. The DM2 claim is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service, while the right knee disorder claim is sent back for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for arthritis of the left knee, right knee, and right ankle due to inadequate opinions from the June 2020 VA examiner. The examiner did not address websites cited by the Veteran's representative or the Veteran’s contentions regarding joint pain persisting since service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, finding that her current knee conditions are aggravated by her service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for left knee osteoarthritis and instability, as well as his TDIU claim, are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's knee disabilities, including rating determinations and TDIU determination. The AOJ is instructed to obtain any available Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's left knee patella femoral syndrome with subpatellar tendonitis and DJD is rated at 10 percent prior to August 19, 2016. A separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability from August 19, 2016 has been granted.

The Veteran's right knee condition, left shin splints, and bilateral plantar fasciitis have been granted. The Veteran's right knee condition is found to be proximately due to her service-connected back disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and a left knee disability. Her left shin splints are denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. A 30 percent rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis has been granted since November 15, 2019.

The Board has determined that the claims for increased evaluations and TDIU are remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran needs a new examination to assess the severity of his right knee conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing right knee disability was aggravated beyond its natural progression during his second period of active duty, and thus service connection is granted.