Knee decisions — 2014

The Veteran's right knee disability has been evaluated as 10 percent disabling throughout the rating period. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for left leg, neck, right leg, bilateral knee, and hypertension disorders were previously denied. New evidence has been submitted to reopen the neck disorder claim, but service connection is not granted. The right leg and bilateral knee disorder claims are also reopened, but no service connection is granted. The hypertension claim is reopened, but no service connection is granted.

The Board found that there is no evidence linking the Veteran's left knee disability to his service or any incident therein, and concluded that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board also determined that the left knee disability is not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected right knee strain.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea due to new and material evidence. The Veteran's current diagnosis of sleep apnea is found to have its onset during active service, and he was treated for symptoms of snoring and cessation of breathing while in service. Service connection is granted for sleep apnea. The Board also finds that the Veteran has a left knee scar status post cyst removal and facial scars as a result of acne vulgaris which had its onset during active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that no new and material evidence was presented.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection and a 30 percent disability evaluation for right knee degenerative joint disease was dismissed as he did not file a timely Substantive Appeal.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a left knee disorder and finds that it was aggravated by active service. The appellant is now entitled to a 100% rating.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities need further examination and evaluation, as the current VA examination did not consider his reported symptoms during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical opinions and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate examinations to assess his cervical spine and bilateral knee disabilities, as well as the severity of his service-connected lumbosacral strain with DJD.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee chondromalacia is rated at 10 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his left knee disability.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues currently under appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease. The claim will be reconsidered with a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, were not of such severity as to have rendered him so helpless as to require the regular A&A of another person. The claim for specially adapted housing is dismissed as moot due to his death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for clarification regarding additional limitation of motion and instability during flare-ups. The Veteran will be provided a new examination to address these issues.

The Veteran's complaints of pain in the bilateral hands, elbows, hips, and knees have not been associated with any underlying diagnoses and are not otherwise accompanied by objective indications of qualifying chronic disabilities.,Folliculitis was incurred while on active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability has been rated at 20 percent since the appeal period began, and there is no evidence of additional impairment warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected shrapnel wound to the left thigh is shown to be productive of a disability picture manifested by osteoarthritis of the left knee involving pain and limitation of motion. A separate 10 percent evaluation for this condition has been granted.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disability is due to his military service, while his left knee condition does not appear to be related to any disease or injury in service.