Knee Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection and TDIU due to insufficient development in the November 2016 VA examination. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that any current right or left knee disability had its onset in active service or is otherwise causally related to the Veteran's military duties.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of several knee, wrist, and foot disorders. The issues have been remanded to obtain additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a lack of recent medical evidence regarding the Veteran's right knee replacement.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis may have had its onset in service, but an additional examination and opinion are needed to determine this definitively.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition, right knee condition, and low back condition have been granted. The claim for an umbilical hernia is denied.,A remand has been ordered to obtain VA treatment records and SSA records, as well as to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination regarding his low back condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a compensable disability rating for right knee patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to lack of clear evidence to rebut the presumption of regularity that applies to VA's date-stamping of incoming mail, and thus, the earliest possible effective date is June 1, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for left knee osteoarthritis, acne, and left knee instability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his conditions.

The Veteran is granted two annual VA clothing allowances for the year 2015 due to the use of triamcinolone acetonide cream and Eucerin / hydrophilic cream, which caused irreparable damage to his pants and shirts.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 1, 2008 for the grant of a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his inability to work due to these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of acquired psychiatric disability and remanded it for further development. The right knee disability rating reduction from 20% to 10% is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee disorder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and bilateral pes planus due to inadequate examinations. The VA is required to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any right knee disorder, as well as the current severity and manifestations of his service-connected left knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral foot disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for major depressive disorder, right knee chondromalacia patella, and left knee chondromalacia patella are being remanded due to the addition of new evidence that has not been reviewed by the RO.

The Board denied the petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to the service-connected left total knee replacement due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims and granted service connection for left knee tendinitis, left hip tendinitis, and fibromyalgia as secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for left knee, thumb, and ring finger disabilities as well as residuals of a left wrist fracture. The decision also noted that the Veteran's current left wrist disorder was not shown to be related to his service-connected right knee or left ankle conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied service connection for psoriatic arthritis and joint deterioration of the left knee, but denied the claim itself as there is no evidence showing a direct link between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's temporary total evaluation following his January 2013 left knee surgery is denied because the surgery was for a new injury unrelated to his service-connected condition, and did not require hospitalization or convalescence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim for a higher rating for his left total knee replacement.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for left knee, right ankle, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities as secondary to service-connected conditions. As a result, the issues are dismissed.