Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding whether the Veteran had right knee degenerative joint disease prior to service. The claim will be reviewed again with a focus on this issue.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for nummular eczema with keratosis pilaris and left knee patellofemoral syndrome with iliotibial band syndrome are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding treatment methods and examination of the knees.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to August 26, 2016 and granted a separate 20 percent rating for instability effective October 21, 2016.,An effective date of June 4, 2008, but no earlier, is granted for the assignment of a separate 20 percent evaluation for service-connected left knee instability.

The Board has remanded the claims for right-knee arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to the need for proper range of motion assessments.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of right ankle, lower back, right hip, right knee, and left ankle conditions due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board denied additional attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the May 2019 rating decision, as the appellant has already received attorney fees for that amount.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, headaches, tinnitus, and psychiatric disorder. Service connection is granted for tinnitus but other claims are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, bilateral knee disability, and left ankle disability. The initial ratings for these conditions are not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and tinnitus, finding the evidence at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active service.,Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss and left ankle disabilities due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and has remanded her knee claims due to insufficient evidence. The decision summary is that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating, while her knee claims are sent back for further examination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities of the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, and knees, finding that there was no evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and left knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, neck, left knee, right knee, and right ankle disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or by reason of being housebound due to his service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not show that he required A&A or was permanently confined to his home.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and PTSD, as well as service connection for bilateral pes planus, were dismissed. The Board also remanded several other issues including hearing loss, sleep disorder, head condition, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, chronic low back condition, right hip condition, left hip condition, right knee condition, and left knee condition.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder/arm disability and denied entitlement to an increased rating for the Veteran's total left knee replacement. The Veteran's left shoulder/arm disability was found not related to active duty service, while his total left knee replacement was rated at 30% from March 1, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for a right leg condition, including residuals of a lipoma, radiculopathy, and right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee synovitis and lateral instability due to inadequate VA examinations, failure to address entitlement to a separate rating under DC 5258, and insufficient reasons or bases in the April 2017 decision denying a separate disability rating for left knee instability prior to January 2018.