Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions due to incomplete evidence and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, and a VA examination is needed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and secondary service connection are remanded due to the need for updated examinations to assess the current severity of his knee disabilities, as well as their impact on other disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and an increased evaluation for his right knee chondromalacia due to inadequate examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, including his right knee degenerative arthritis and right knee meniscal tear status post-surgical repair, is at least as likely as not related to service. As such, the claim for service connection for a right knee disability is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as being proximately due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The other conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's right hand disability and right knee disorder are granted service connection. The right hand disability is due to in-service injury, while the right knee disorder may be related to age or aggravated by the left knee.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral vascular disease and left leg amputation below the knee are granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's coronary artery disease is rated at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to incomplete records, including SSA disability benefits records and VA treatment records. The Veteran's left knee and low back disabilities are also being examined to determine their current severity.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are denied as there is no current diagnosis.,Chronic fatigue syndrome was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, neck disability, cervical radiculopathy, and left knee disability. The reasons given were that the evidence did not show a nexus between these disabilities and active service.

The Board has found the May 2016 VA examination inadequate for rating purposes and remanded to obtain a new examination. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as not related to service, but his bilateral knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. The claims are now remanded for further development, including obtaining missing service treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right knee disability and chest pain, finding that there was no evidence to support these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and left knee disability due to inadequate examination reports and conflicting opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA examination during the appellate period, and thus requires an examination to determine the current severity of the left knee disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee and left foot conditions, but has remanded these issues due to a need for further examination.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 30 percent since July 13, 2016. The appeal for higher ratings prior to that date and for separate ratings for specific conditions of the knee have been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis was caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability, and thus granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for bilateral knee disability is granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received, including a November 2018 private medical opinion linking the Veteran’s current bilateral knee problems to her period of active service.