Knee Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions due to inadequate examination findings.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for arthritis of the right knee, status post arthrotomy, with residual scar is being remanded due to incomplete examination results.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of a right knee total knee replacement after November 1, 2018 is also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his left knee disability was denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 10 percent for the period excluding the temporary total rating following surgery, and he has been granted a separate 20 percent rating for his meniscal tear.

The Board has denied service connection for various bilateral and unilateral joint disabilities, including wrist, hip, knee, shoulder, and ankle conditions. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the severity of his service-connected knee and shoulder conditions, as well as his eligibility for TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that there was no evidence linking his current disabilities to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed knee, ankle and wrist disabilities are not service-connected as they did not originate during or as a result of his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for neck pain, back pain, bilateral shoulder pain, rib pain, bilateral hand/finger pain, and bilateral hip/knee pain all claimed as a result of decompression syndrome due to saturation diving in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right total knee replacement, left knee disorder, and temporary total evaluation based on convalescence following an April 4, 2017, right knee surgery. The issues of entitlement to initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for right knee strain and chronic nonsuppurative otitis media with right ear hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his service-connected left knee and lumbar spine disabilities.,Specifically, a retrospective opinion is needed on the extent of functional loss during flare-ups and after repetition over time for the periods prior to May 9, 2014 and from July 31, 2015 to present.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities secondary to service-connected pes planus are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient discussion of applicable diagnostic codes and failure to consider whether staged ratings are appropriate for the period prior to January 1, 2011.

The Veteran's left knee disability and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection. Service connection for type two diabetes mellitus, heart condition, prostate cancer, and right knee disability is denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current condition related to service, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that his current conditions are due to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is related to service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's right chronic anterior talofibular ligament injury is granted a 20 percent rating, but no higher. The Veteran also receives a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions including low back disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, lower extremity radiculopathy, circulatory disorder, gastric disorder (including GERD), acquired psychiatric disorder, psoriatic arthritis, and liver disorder due to incomplete development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to new examinations being necessary, as well as an opinion on the etiology of any left knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased ratings for various knee, shoulder, and wrist conditions due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis and patellofemoral pain syndrome with tendinitis, finding that his current condition is etiologically related to his time in service.