Knee Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for ischemic heart disease, right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and soft tissue sarcoma due to the need for further development of the record.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connected the Veteran's bilateral knee disability. The decision is based on medical evidence showing fluctuating hearing acuity and in-service injury to knees, with no presumption of exposure.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the issues of service connection for ankle fracture, knee condition, and heart condition have not been returned to the Board.

The Board has restored a 20 percent evaluation for left knee instability effective May 1, 2014. The reduction from 20% to 10% was improper due to the Veteran's persistent left knee instability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition, residual scars from post-service surgery, and ear disorder. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his eye scars.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for tinea pedis with tinea cruris, as it did not cover more than 40% of his body or exposed areas. For other conditions, the preponderance of the evidence was against finding a direct relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for cervical spine disorder, thoracolumbar spine disorder, left hip osteoarthritis with trochanteric pain syndrome (including bursitis), right knee osteoarthritis, left knee disorder including strain, meniscal tear, and osteoarthritis, and right and left lower extremity disorders manifested by leg pain due to incomplete medical opinions and the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral knee arthritis is related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to an inadequate examination report, specifically regarding PROM and ROM testing on weight and non-weight bearing.

The Veteran's hypertension was not shown to have begun during service or be related to any in-service injury, and the claim is denied.,There is no evidence that the Veteran's right knee disability began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury. The claim for this condition is denied.,Similarly, there is no evidence that the Veteran's left knee disability began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury. The claim for this condition is also denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability was granted a rating of 30 percent for limitation of extension, effective from November 25, 2015. The other issues were either granted or maintained at the same level.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for various knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions caused his obesity, which in turn contributed to his death. The VA needs to obtain a medical opinion on these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability is related to his service.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations for osteoarthritis of the right knee with medial meniscal tear, instability of the left knee, and arthritis of the lumbosacral spine are being remanded due to inadequate pre-decisional duty to assist.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 because the evidence did not support a finding that his right knee surgery residuals were caused by VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee osteoarthritis due to inadequate VA medical opinions, unclear duty status during relevant periods, and need for additional development including translation of non-English documents.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for hepatitis and left knee disability as no new and relevant evidence was submitted to reopen these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to duty-to-assist errors. Specifically, a new VA opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's left knee and left ankle conditions are related to in-service events or injuries.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder results in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, but does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent.,The Veteran is entitled to an effective date of September 13, 2017 for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.