Knee Board decisions

The Board has denied a compensable rating for right knee patellofemoral syndrome and has remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for left ankle, left knee, and back disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran will be provided with new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left hip disabilities, including as secondary to his service-connected right hip and/or right knee disabilities, need further development. The case is being sent back to the VA for additional examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability has been reopened, but the effective date remains August 13, 2014.,An earlier effective date for tinnitus is denied as no evidence prior to August 13, 2014 indicates an intent to pursue this claim.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for higher evaluations on several of his service-connected conditions, including degenerative disc disease with spondylosis, lumbosacral spine; left knee tendonitis; right knee tendonitis; left ankle strain; and right ankle strain. The appeal regarding unspecified depressive disorder was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back strain with degenerative changes, but denied service connection for his right knee condition. The low back condition is related to service, while there is no evidence linking the right knee condition to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate rationale in the previous VA examination, need for additional development including SSA records, and need for an addendum opinion from a medical professional.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee conditions, finding that the current diagnoses are not related to military service.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation due to the increase in severity of his conditions. His TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the remanded claims.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for a left knee disability has been granted. An initial increased rating of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability is granted effective January 27, 2016. For the period prior to May 12, 2015, an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for the left ankle disability is denied. A 10 percent disability rating for the left ankle disability is granted beginning May 12, 2015. An increased rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD prior to May 15, 2017, and in excess of 70 percent from May 15, 2017, is denied. For the period prior to May 15, 2017, entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a new VA medical examination of the Veteran's left knee.

The Board denied service connection for neurological disabilities of the upper and lower extremities, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hammer toe of the left fifth digit, right knee disability, and left knee disability as secondary to a service-connected left ankle disability.,Service connection was granted for a left great toe disability with arthritis.

The Veteran's initial compensable evaluations for left shoulder and right knee disabilities are denied. The case is remanded to determine if service connection can be established for a left knee strain secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a right shoulder disability and TBI residuals, were denied. The claim for service connection for the right shoulder was reopened due to new evidence, but the claim is still denied as there is no credible evidence of an in-service injury or current condition related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable initial disability rating for traumatic brain injury and a higher disability rating for right knee, narrowing of medial joint space are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's application for a clothing allowance for his left knee brace was denied because the evidence did not document continued use of the device, including no sign of recent maintenance or replacement.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee, back, neck and right ankle disabilities are being remanded for further examination to assess their severity.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for a left knee injury were denied because the treatment was not considered an emergency and VA facilities were feasibly available.