Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating greater than 10 percent for his right knee disability and a rating greater than 20 percent for his left knee disability due to insufficient examination findings.

The Board has remanded two issues: entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition and entitlement to service connection for a right knee condition claimed as secondary to the left knee. The Veteran's testimony indicates he injured his left knee while wearing full combat gear at Camp Lejeune, but did not receive formal treatment. He contends that his right knee disability is due to altered gait caused by his left knee issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, specifically bilateral pes planus, low back disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and shin splints.

An effective date of July 30, 2013, is granted for a 70 percent rating for generalized anxiety disorder.,Effective dates of July 30, 2013 and May 19, 2014 are granted for initial 10 percent ratings for right knee patellofemoral syndrome and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, respectively.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no current diagnoses or persistent symptoms of the claimed conditions, and thus denied all related claims.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee condition may be related to her service, but needs more information from her medical records and a physical examination.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a lumbar spine disability was granted. The other claims of service connection were remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and service-connected right knee disability are granted. Service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, respiratory disorder, and brain disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for anxiety disorder with OCD symptoms was dismissed. The claim of service connection for a left ankle condition is reopened, but the claims for right ankle, left knee, and right knee conditions are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient clarification on the etiologies of certain right knee disorders and for obtaining additional VA or private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities due to inadequate examination and failure to address functional loss during flare-ups.

The Veteran's hypertension was not incurred in service and is not related to service. The Board has granted a higher initial disability rating of 30 percent for left hand cold injury residuals from May 20, 2013.,The Veteran's right hand and right knee disabilities have been remanded as the VA examiners did not assess additional limitation of function due to flare-ups during their examinations.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of left knee degenerative arthritis and lateral meniscus tear, left knee subluxation, right knee degenerative arthritis and patellofemoral syndrome, right knee meniscal tear, post-operative with instability, bilateral knee arthroplasty scars, and entitlement to a TDIU. The case is being remanded for the following actions: obtaining outstanding VA treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and addressing the issues on appeal.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of left knee degenerative arthritis and lateral meniscus tear, left knee subluxation, right knee degenerative arthritis and patellofemoral syndrome, right knee meniscal tear, post-operative with instability, bilateral knee arthroplasty scars, and entitlement to a TDIU. The case is being remanded for the following actions: obtaining outstanding VA treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and addressing any denial of claims.

The Veteran's left shoulder degenerative joint disease with impingement syndrome is rated at 10 percent and denied for a higher rating.,Service connection for low back pain is denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to service.,Service connection for bilateral knee pain is denied due to lack of evidence connecting the condition to service.,Service connection for tinnitus is denied because it was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examination for assessing the severity of the Veteran's knee disabilities, specifically left and right knee osteoarthritis and chondromalacia patella.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for SMC based on anatomical loss of both legs at a level or with complications preventing natural knee action with prosthesis in place, finding that it was not factually ascertainable that this condition existed prior to January 6, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his knee disabilities and a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders have been dismissed. The Veteran withdrew these claims in February 2018, and the Board finds that he did so with full understanding of the consequences.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds no evidence of flexion limited to 30 degrees or less or extension limited to 15 degrees or more, even with consideration of pain and other functional impairment. Therefore, a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds no evidence of flexion limited to 30 degrees or less or extension limited to 15 degrees or more, even with consideration of pain and other functional impairment. Therefore, a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds no evidence of ankylosis, recurrent subluxation, lateral instability, dislocated semilunar cartilage or removal of the semilunar cartilage. Therefore, a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back disability, bilateral knee disorders, and initial compensable rating for ureterolithiasis (kidney stones) due to incomplete development. The Veteran must provide private treatment records from 2014 onward related to his conditions, and he must be afforded VA examinations with imaging studies.