Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected due to a finding of in-service exposure and within one year of discharge. The right knee mild degenerative joint disease claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for a right knee disability and migraines due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran withdrew his service connection claims for a left knee, low back, and sciatic nerve conditions during the May 2018 Board hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and determination of the etiology of her back and hip disorders, as well as service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional records and a medical opinion regarding the service connection of the right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional medical review, examination, and opinion regarding her service connection claims. The issues include tonsillitis, left shoulder disability, urinary incontinence, thoracolumbar strain, headaches, right knee disability, and right foot hallux valgus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee strain and residuals of left calcaneal stress fracture were granted effective December 15, 2015. The Board denied the request for an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the issues of SMC based on aid and attendance for accrued benefits purposes and entitlement to higher disability rating for residuals, gunshot wound, right knee. The appellant is asked to provide additional private treatment records from Dr. M.S. from March 2011 through January 2015.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have worsened, and the Board finds that a new VA examination is needed to determine their current severity. The RO should also attempt to obtain any outstanding treatment records and schedule an examination for this purpose.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, shin splints, shoulder disorders, frostbite, psychiatric conditions, traumatic brain injury, headaches, wrist, hip, ankle, knee, elbow, little finger, plantar fasciitis, joint pain, back pain, neck pain, erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, skin disorder, and eye problems.

The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral peripheral neuropathy and left knee disability was denied. The Board found no evidence linking the disabilities to his military service, including herbicide exposure. For the left knee disability, a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to December 6, 2011, and from February 1, 2013, was also denied.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is rated at 10 percent, and his thoracolumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board denied higher ratings for both conditions.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for the Veteran's left and right knee meniscal tears, as well as non-compensable ratings for limitation of extension in both knees. The appeal was based on service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a right hand disorder, right knee disorder, and respiratory disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service.,No current disability was found for the respiratory disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of left knee is granted, as are his claims for secondary service connection for right knee and lumbosacral strain disabilities. The Veteran's left shoulder disability claim was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received. The right knee disability, sleep apnea condition (including as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II), and peripheral neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities are all being reviewed again.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee conditions have been found to be etiologically related to his residuals of a total right hip replacement. His claims for increased ratings and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of low back, left knee, and left ankle disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all the claims currently before the Board, including increased ratings for various conditions and a compensable rating for early giant papillary conjunctivitis.

The Board has remanded several issues for further examination and opinion, including right shoulder, low back, bilateral knee, right foot ingrown toenails, sinus disability, and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's service connection claims are not granted as there is no current diagnosis or evidence of a relationship to service.