Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the VA examinations related to cervical spine, low back, left hip, and psychiatric disabilities are inadequate for decision-making purposes. The Veteran must be provided with addendum opinions addressing whether his current conditions are secondary to or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee disability, consisting of osteoarthritis and patellar tendinopathy, is considered to be related to his active service. The Board granted the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for back and right knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The case will be returned to VA for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder and right knee disorders may be related to his service-connected spine disability, but additional evidence is needed for a proper determination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a degenerative bones disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD have been dismissed.,The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, right knee disability, left knee disability, and back disability.

The Veteran's right knee tricompartmental arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of evidence showing flexion limited to 30 degrees or less or extension limited to 15 degrees or more.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, left knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for reopening his previously denied claims. The Board found that he failed to appear for VA examinations on two separate occasions without good cause.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the hands and knees have been denied. His claim for major depressive disorder secondary to his service-connected chronic fatigue syndrome has been granted, but he is still seeking an increased rating for his chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination due to the Veteran's testimony indicating that his disabilities have worsened, requiring additional medical clarification.

The Board has reopened the claims for left shoulder/arm pain, liver mass, right ear hearing loss disability, back disability, shin splints, right knee disability, sleep apnea, GERD, and PTSD. However, service connection is not granted for any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate findings from a previous VA examination. The Veteran's right knee and hip disabilities are being reviewed again by a different VA examiner.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied, and the case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the reduction in the rating for chronic lumbar spine strain, entitlement to a higher rating for posttraumatic ankylosis of the right ankle, and entitlement to a compensable rating for chronic right knee strain.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability warranted a rating greater than 10 percent prior to May 18, 2017 and a separate 10 percent rating for limitation of flexion from May 18, 2017. The tension headaches were rated as 30 percent disabling effective May 18, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability was reduced from 20 percent to 10 percent effective March 1, 2013. The VA Board has now restored the 20 percent evaluation for the period from March 1, 2014, to April 3, 2015.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and arthritis of the ankles, knees, cervical, and thoracolumbar spine as there is no evidence that these conditions are related to active service.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, and tinea versicolor. The Veteran's lumbar spine and left knee disorders were not shown to be related to his active service, and the tinea versicolor was not found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including instability and meniscal tear with locking, pain, and effusion, was found to meet the criteria for separate 10 percent ratings for limitation of extension and instability prior to April 26, 2017. The Board also remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding his current left knee disability severity and its impact on employment.

The Board has denied service connection for a right knee disability due to lack of evidence of an in-service injury. The lumbar spine strain issue is remanded as the VA examination was inadequate.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. However, these issues are remanded as additional development is needed to determine the current severity of PTSD, etiology of sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, nature and etiology of bilateral knee disorders, and whether a TDIU should be granted.