Knee decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee arthralgia, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. The right knee disability is remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine, left foot plantar fasciitis, right and left knee disorders, and hearing loss. The Veteran is required to undergo further examinations to determine these issues.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability was not caused or aggravated by military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected left ankle disorder has been found to be the primary cause of his right and left knee disorders, warranting a grant of service connection for these conditions. The Veteran is also granted an increased rating for his left ankle disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and service treatment records, as well as arranging for new medical examinations to assess his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease, left knee, was granted an initial rating of 10 percent effective March 16, 2009. The appeal for a higher initial rating and earlier effective date is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction and remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability, as secondary to service-connected bilateral calcaneal spurs. The case is now before the RO for further development.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn and thus the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his claimed back and right knee disorders.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee arthritis was not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a chronic disease manifesting within one year post-service. The single twisting injury during service did not result in any long-term disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA examinations and any outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and other conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, and back pain, prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board grants TDIU prior to December 8, 2016.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and PTSD are not related to his active duty service. The claim for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including service connection for DM, cervical condition, lumbar condition(s), hypertension, bilateral knee condition(s) and psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is caused by his service-connected right knee disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition as secondary to his right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for further examinations. The issues include service connection, initial ratings for PTSD and right fibula fracture, and TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than August 25, 2006, for service connection of his lumbar spine disability.