Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the right hip, right knee, and left ankle. The Veteran's allergies are not considered to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss claims are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability, cervical spine disability, and lumbosacral spine disability. The evidence did not establish a link between these disabilities and service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for left knee disability and hiatal hernia and GERD, but denied both claims as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are rated at 10 percent each, with no higher rating due to the severity of his symptoms. His right shoulder bursitis is also rated at 10 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claims for tinnitus are also remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the pending hearing loss claims.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as an initial rating of 20 percent for the service-connected left shoulder disability. The Veteran's claims are denied for a higher rating.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for left and right knee disabilities have been denied. Separate evaluations of 10% each were granted for limitation of extension in both knees.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hip and knee disabilities, as well as his claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of adequate medical opinions. The Veteran will need further VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's recurring cyst of the right inner thigh is rated at 10 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's DJD with reduced extension range of motion in her right knee has been rated as noncompensable since June 11, 2012. The current evidence does not support an increase to a compensable rating.

The Board has denied a schedular rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee DJD and has remanded the issue of TDIU due to service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examination to determine if the current ratings are adequate and whether an extraschedular rating is warranted due to symptoms not directly contemplated by the rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to issues with the rationale provided by the VA examiner.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of right knee patellofemoral syndrome, finding that there was no credible evidence linking his current disability to his active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and a right knee disability, finding no evidence of permanent worsening during service or continuous symptoms since service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, all secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability. The claim for service connection for a right eye pinguecula is also denied.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability is reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Veteran has been placed on light duty in service due to his knee injury, and he continues to have symptoms of knee pain since then.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to issues related to the Veteran's right knee injury/meniscal tear and scarring, as well as a TDIU claim. The appeal is not about service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The issues remain on appeal.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings of his left knee injury and bilateral hearing loss, so the Board cannot consider these claims further.