Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence and need further examination. The issues include psychiatric, right knee, right foot, left foot, and sinus disabilities.

The Veteran's right knee total arthroplasty is rated at 30 percent, and the Board has remanded to obtain updated treatment records and a VA examination to determine if his condition warrants a higher rating.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is rated at 20 percent, the highest rating available under Diagnostic Code 5010. The temporary total rating for convalescence following his surgeries was denied as he had recovered by October 1, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence indicating an increase in severity of the Veteran's right knee disability. The Veteran is required to provide updated VA treatment records and undergo a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's initial rating for left knee osteoarthritis is being remanded due to inadequate examination results and the need to obtain recent VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various ankle, back, hip, and knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran must be scheduled for a VA examination of his left ankle disability, and additional opinions are needed regarding secondary service connection for other disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right ankle tendonitis, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and degenerative arthritis of the right knee are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee status post meniscectomy with arthritis is granted, effective May 2, 2012. The Veteran’s service-connected right knee disability has been rated based on limitation of motion.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded and will be reconsidered by the AOJ.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found no worse than Level I hearing loss in the right ear and Level I hearing loss in the left ear, resulting in a zero percent disability rating. Service connection for left knee and left shoulder disorders, as well as loss of sense of smell, is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions, as well as a psychiatric disorder including PTSD and adjustment disorder with anxiety, are being REMANDED due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, right knee, and right hip disabilities. The low back disability is related to in-service injury. The right knee disability is related to military service as it was aggravated by a pre-existing condition during service. The right hip disability is secondary to the right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the issues regarding service connection for left knee disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability. The issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for right knee disability with limitation of flexion remains under review.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and remanded the issues of increased ratings for right knee strain, left knee strain, and lumbosacral strain. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The application to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension is denied. Service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability is remanded.

The Veteran's initial disability evaluations for his right knee, left knee, and left ankle disabilities are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date for his service-connected knee disabilities are being remanded due to the inadequacy of the November 2017 VA examination used to reduce his rating.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 60 percent disability rating for left knee replacement is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating than 60 percent for his left knee condition is denied.,A separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability is granted, effective September 19, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claims for a higher rating for left knee disability and TDIU due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives regarding the examination of the Veteran's left knee condition. The issues are inextricably intertwined, so both must be addressed together.