Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of various disabilities, including sleep apnea, left knee disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, chronic sinusitis, stress incontinence, residuals from cervical biopsies, and alopecia.

The Board denied service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and hypertension, finding that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection as there was no evidence of onset or aggravation during service.

Service connection is granted for a left knee disorder, right knee disorder, back disorder, and lumbar radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.,The Veteran's tinnitus has been rated at its maximum schedular rating.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection and increased rating of migraine headaches, as well as the claim for a sleep disorder secondary to PTSD. The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been considered in her current 30 percent rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for various service-connected disabilities due to inadequate recent VA examinations. The Veteran will need new evaluations to determine current severity.

The Board denied service connection for lower back and bilateral knee conditions, but granted service connection for sleep apnea, headaches, and toenail condition. The rating assigned for tinnitus is 10%. Service connection was also granted for PTSD with a TDIU determination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new VA treatment records and examination findings that show symptoms not previously considered by the RO. The issues include increased ratings for low back disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for neck pain, allergic rhinitis, lung condition, and bradycardia were withdrawn at the July 2018 Board hearing.,Service connection was denied for degenerative joint disease (knees and hands), left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's capsaicin cream is not used for a service-connected skin condition, so he does not qualify for a clothing allowance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as a psychiatric disability, were denied because the evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right leg amputation, and diabetes, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU as of May 17, 2008.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for a low back disability has been granted. The claims for increased ratings and TDIU are still pending.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of bilateral tibial stress fractures has been reopened and granted.,Service connection was also granted for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome and degenerative joint disease.

The Board denied service connection for low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's PTSD was granted a rating of 70 percent.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen claims for hypertension, residuals of a right wrist injury, and residuals of a left leg laceration was granted. Claims for low back disability and left knee disability were denied as new and material evidence did not relate the disabilities to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings due to incomplete records, need for further examinations, and other procedural issues. The claims will be adjudicated again after all requested information is obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for right hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities are not properly adjudicated without additional medical examination and opinion. The case is being remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent under the applicable schedular criteria, and the Board finds that an extraschedular evaluation is not warranted due to the specific symptomatology of his condition being addressed by the current rating schedule.

Service connection for a left knee disability has been granted.,Secondary service connection for right knee patellofemoral syndrome has been granted as it is related to the service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the left knee disability. The claim for service connection of all conditions is pending and will be addressed after a VA examination.