Knee Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, lumbar myositis (back condition), degenerative arthritis of the knees, tinnitus, left foot arthritis, right hip and left hip conditions, left ankle and right ankle conditions, a bilateral foot condition, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need to consider whether he is entitled to a partial knee replacement rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, but denied service connection for arthritis of the neck and bilateral knee disabilities.,Service connection was also remanded for right elbow epicondylitis (tennis elbow), arthritis of the hands, sleep apnea, and secondary service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot pes planus, other left foot disorders (excluding pes planus), right knee disorder, and right hip disorder are all denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of aggravation by service or direct service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inaccurate factual premise in the previous examination, and a new examination is needed. The Veteran's bilateral knee condition needs to be evaluated based on the correct standard.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess his service-connected disabilities, including a left foot condition and GERD. The Veteran also has multiple issues related to his cervical spine, lumbar spine, right wrist, knees, hips, and feet.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to an in-service injury or event.

The Board has granted service connection for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and reopened the claim for bilateral knee disability. The rating for gastritis remains at 10 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Back Disorder, Right Hip Disorder, Right Knee Disorder, Left Foot Disorder, and Fungal Rash due to lack of new and material evidence. The issues were remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and examination, including service connection for a left hip disability, rating of lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, GERD, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, PTSD, and left knee strain.

The reduction in the rating for internal derangement of the left knee with degenerative arthritis was improper, and the Veteran's disability is restored to a 20% rating effective April 5, 2014.

The Board dismissed the appeal of the right ankle disability claim. The claims for service connection of right hip, right knee, and acquired psychiatric disabilities were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's depressive disorder, NOS with anxiety, NOS is rated at 100 percent and he has other service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more. Therefore, the Veteran qualifies for special monthly compensation (SMC) pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence showing a right knee disability, and a VA examination is needed to determine its etiology.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for arthritis with joint pain of the left and right ankles, knees, and hands. The claim of service connection for a finger joint disorder remains denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition is dismissed as he withdrew the claim. The case remains on remand for other issues.,The Veteran’s scoliosis of the thoracolumbar spine disability does not warrant a higher rating due to its current level of impairment.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right foot and ankle, shoulder, and knee disabilities are granted as new and material evidence has been received. However, the claims for these disabilities remain denied due to lack of a current disability related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination as they are incomplete or require clarification.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating of bilateral knee and shoulder disabilities due to outstanding military personnel records and inadequate examination reports.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the appeal is, therefore, REMANDED. The Veteran's back disability and right knee disability are both rated below their current severity.