Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's lumbar spine DJD with L5 spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, and IVDS is rated at 20 percent.,The Veteran's right knee scar is not compensable.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for a heart condition and remanded the claim for service connection for a left knee injury. The heart condition claim is granted, but the left knee injury claim remains denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, seizure disorder, and depression due to incomplete records. The Veteran is advised to obtain new representation if desired.

The Board has remanded the cases due to outstanding military records and inadequate VA examination for neck disability. The claims for service connection are not decided yet.

The Veteran's TBI and bilateral snowflake degeneration claims are remanded for further development. The left knee and right foot disability ratings are also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection has been granted for limitation of flexion of the right knee, but an earlier effective date is denied.

The Board denied service connection for TBI, left knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral eye disability, and bilateral foot disability. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing a nexus between the disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's need for aid and attendance is denied because his vision loss, which requires regular assistance from a caregiver, is not related to any service-connected disability. The Board found that the Veteran's functional restrictions are due to his non-service connected blindness.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was denied. His claims for increased evaluations of his DJD knees and initial compensable evaluations for limitation of extension motion in both knees were also denied. The TDIU issue is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy was denied. The initial increased rating claims for left knee scars and the earlier effective date claim were granted with a 10 percent disability rating assigned as of March 22, 2016. However, all other issues related to his left knee disabilities were denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for a left knee disorder and kidney disorder, as well as an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the left ankle. The effective date for the grant of an evaluation of 10 percent for osteoarthritis of the left ankle is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral arm disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral foot disability as these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service. The issues of service connection for bilateral knee conditions and headaches (secondary to PTSD) have been remanded due to deficiencies in prior VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for back and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not originate during or within one year after his military service.

Service connection for a bilateral elbow disorder, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, eye disability, sleep apnea, hypertension, sinus disorder, cholesterol, and bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for anxiety disorder is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a seizure disorder as secondary to service-connected TBI. The appeal regarding the left knee disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence for reopening the claim of service connection for a left knee disorder and for obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,Service connection is established for a back disability, right knee disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression).

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and no higher. The Board finds that a rating in excess of 10 percent based on limitation of flexion is not warranted.,For allergic rhinitis, the Veteran is currently rated at 10 percent from January 11, 2014, and 30 percent from August 4, 2016. The Board finds that a rating in excess of 30 percent is not warranted.