Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for OSA, increased ratings for lumbosacral disc disease and left knee disabilities due to new evidence and development of records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back pains, left knee condition, and right knee condition due to insufficient rationale in the July 2019 VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance due to the use of bilateral knee braces during 2018 is remanded as additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and considering her lay statements, is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as his requests for increased ratings for DJD of the left knee and scars from a previous surgery, have all been denied. The Board found no current disability in any of these areas.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various lower extremity and foot conditions, finding that further development is needed to determine their etiology.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a right knee disability, as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability due to inadequate medical opinions and need for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for ankle and knee disabilities, as secondary to his service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. The VA examiner is needed to provide an opinion on the etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment for the period from September 2011 to March 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's service connection claims for a back disability, skin disorder, bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and right leg disability due to new evidence indicating his discharge from August 1970 to March 1972 was upgraded to 'general - under honorable conditions'.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen service connection for various conditions, including low back disability, joint pains, muscle pains, left knee disability, foot disability, right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and a respiratory disability. The appeals are remanded for further development on these issues.

The Veteran's claims for left hand disability, right knee disability status post arthroscopic meniscus tear with degenerative joint disease, and sleep apnea are being remanded due to procedural errors in the initial rating decision. The Veteran must be provided a new rating decision addressing these claims on their merits, and he needs to undergo a VA examination for his sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder, left knee, and low back disabilities. Service connection was denied for right upper extremity numbness and acquired psychiatric disorder (depression).

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a right knee disability and an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD. The Veteran's claim for a right knee disability is being remanded due to new evidence submitted since the last denial in October 2011. The claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of staphylococcus aureus (staph) infection of the left knee and staph infection of the right knee, finding no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or caused by his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for a right knee disability was denied, and the reduction of his disability rating from 10% to 0% effective January 4, 2016 is found improper. His 10% rating for painful limitation of flexion in his right knee is restored.,The Veteran's temporary total evaluation for hospitalization due to a right knee arthroplasty was denied, and the issue is remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and ratings for right hip and knee disabilities due to inadequate prior examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability was aggravated during service, and a new VA examination is needed.

The effective date for the grant of service connection for a left knee disorder, PTSD, type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremity, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss is denied.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, nor does he qualify for housebound status based on his service-connected conditions.