Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues related to service connection and rating of disabilities, including hip, knee, anemia, and foot conditions. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in previous opinions and the need for updated treatment records, including an additional medical opinion on whether the Veteran's left knee disability is aggravated by her service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's migraine and tension headaches are granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. The left shoulder disability, arthritis, and right knee strain claims are denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back disability, left knee disability, hearing loss, and sleep problems due to lack of a medical nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee and right knee degenerative joint disease, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected foot disabilities may have caused or aggravated his right hip and right knee disabilities, but further medical examination is needed to clarify this relationship.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right lower extremity disabilities met the criteria for SMC at the K level effective April 26, 2016.

The Board denied service connection for low back, left hip, right hip, right knee, left leg, right leg, and right foot disorders as the evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, low back disability, and right knee disability. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to its inextricably intertwined nature with the other issues.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral elbow, wrist/arm, cervical spine, and knee disabilities, as well as hypertension and GERD. The Veteran's PTSD was also not found to be service-connected.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back, left knee, right knee, right ankle, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities due to incomplete examination reports and conflicting findings.

The Board found that the reduction from 20 percent to 10 percent for right knee strain and from 20 percent to 0 percent for left knee strain was proper, effective January 1, 2015.

The Veteran's left groin scar is granted as secondary to her service-connected left knee internal derangement and left femoral neuropathy. The appeal for higher ratings on other conditions remains pending.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a left knee internal derangement and granted it as the evidence shows that the current condition is related to the Veteran's in-service injury.

The Veteran's claims for right foot, left shoulder, right shoulder, cervical spine, low back, right knee, and left knee disorders have all been denied as they are not service-connected.

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to obtain additional evidence and conduct a new examination for the Veteran's right knee disability prior to April 14, 2014.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current right knee disability and his in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to deficiencies in previous examinations and because of allegations of worsening symptoms.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability due to new and material evidence. However, the claim is still pending as further development is needed before it can be decided.