Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. The claims are granted.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, as well as a claim for an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the medical evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, left shoulder, and sinus disorders. The claims are now remanded to obtain VA examinations for each of these conditions.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claims of service connection for insomnia, right knee condition, and bilateral shoulder pain is granted.,The Veteran's petition to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for a right foot condition is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his right knee strain with degenerative joint disease is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a back disability, left and right knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss disabilities, and psychiatric disorders are all denied as they were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's chronic headaches began in service and continue to this day.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, migraine headache disability, herpes disability, sleep disorder, athlete’s foot, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, low back strain disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints have been denied.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for his right and left eye disabilities due to incomplete information.

The Board has remanded the claims for a new examination to determine the severity of the Veteran's knee disabilities and to reconcile the divergent medical assessments.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's right knee, left leg disability (other than as related to left knee or left lower extremity radiculopathy), and fractures of the right tibia and fibula. The remaining issues include service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, a rating in excess of 20 percent for right knee arthritis with instability, and residuals of a fracture of the right tibia and fibula prior to June 23, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnoses and service.,Both the right and left knee conditions were diagnosed after service, with no documented in-service injury or symptomatology.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for a left knee disability. However, the case is being remanded as further medical examination is needed to determine if the current left knee disabilities were incurred during active military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for depression was dismissed. The appeals for the remaining conditions were denied or remanded.

The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for left knee conditions are denied. A separate rating for limitation in flexion is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an examination to determine if any current gastrointestinal disability is related to service. The Veteran's left knee disability and MRSA infection are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, hypertension, fatigue, a back condition, and bilateral knee conditions due to outstanding treatment records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new VA examination to clarify whether the Veteran's left hip and right leg/knee disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder pain, bilateral knee joint pain, back joint pain, and bilateral hip joint pain due to a lack of evidence in the record. The RO did not consider the Veteran's combat status during service or his military occupation specialty as a cavalry scout.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record. The case is being returned for further development, including a VA examination.