Knee decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disorder and a bladder disorder, including urine incontinence, due to lack of evidence showing onset or causation during active service.

The Veteran's appeal for restoration of service connection for left knee instability was denied.,The Veteran's request for an effective date prior to August 25, 2014 for the grants of service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis and instability was denied.

The Veteran is granted a higher rate of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to loss of use of both hands, resulting from service-connected peripheral neuropathy in the upper extremities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection was granted for bilateral knee pain, but denied for other conditions including headache, depression, sciatic radiculopathy, left and right elbow strain, left and right wrist strain, right ankle strain, and hypertension.

The Board has reopened the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, lumbar spine degenerative disk disease, and left and right knee arthritis. The evidence is sufficient to establish service connection for these conditions.,Service connection was denied for prostate cancer due to lack of a nexus between the condition and exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's knee and foot disabilities have been rated at the lowest possible level due to their mild nature, with no evidence of ankylosis or instability. The Veteran does not meet criteria for higher ratings under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability, low back disability, and right knee disability as the evidence did not show these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.,There is no indication of any current disabilities related to military service.

The Board denied service connection for Gulf War Syndrome, residuals of anthrax vaccination, and disability due to pyridostigmine bromide tablets as there is no evidence of a present disability or chronic symptoms related to these conditions.,The Board also denied service connection for right knee disorder and right foot disorder. The Veteran's current disorders were not found to be directly related to his active service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of his service-connected conditions have been dismissed, and the Board has remanded the cases to the AOJ for issuance of a Statement of the Case regarding earlier effective dates.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for thoracolumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The case is being returned for an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a TDIU from December 14, 2010 through September 9, 2013 due to deficiencies in the June 2017 VA examination and the need for an expert opinion on whether his service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of increased rating for right knee degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's appeals for higher evaluations of bursitis in the left tibial tubercle and left knee limitation of extension, as well as his appeal for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant, have been dismissed due to his satisfaction with the recent decision.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and tinnitus, as well as increased ratings for various knee disabilities. The Veteran's claim for asthma was remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including headaches, bilateral knee disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, back disorder, and neck disorder. The issues are related to whether these conditions had onset in or are otherwise related to active service.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee condition is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings of retropatellar pain syndrome, right knee and left knee.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disorders, as well as a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss since October 18, 2010. The Veteran's current conditions are characterized as a level VI hearing loss prior to October 18, 2010, and a level II hearing loss thereafter.