Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's allergic rhinitis with hyposmia is not entitled to an extraschedular rating.,From February 6, 2014, to June 15, 2017, the Veteran was granted a 30 percent rating for his headache disability. Since then, he has been denied any higher ratings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back, neck, left knee, right knee disabilities and hypertension due to the need for further medical examination.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including neuropathy pain in the right side of the body, middle back disability with arthritis, hypertension, IBS with polyps, fibroadenoma of the breast, bilateral flat feet, left knee disability, right knee disability, and residuals of a hysterectomy. The decision states that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection based on her Reserve service.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee chondromalacia, finding that the evidence is in equipoise regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for right knee patellofemoral syndrome, right shoulder pain, chronic headaches, head injury with facial reconstruction (now claimed as traumatic brain injury), and cervical strain were denied. The claim for CTS of the right wrist was granted.,The Veteran's requests to increase his PTSD rating and service connection for substance abuse secondary to PTSD are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there is sufficient evidence to support the link between his in-service injury and current symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his left knee disorders, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of preexisting left knee OCD that was aggravated by service. The post-service meniscal tear, osteoarthritis, and total knee replacement were not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, a back disability, Crohn's disease, shin splints, restless leg syndrome, knee disabilities, and foot disabilities have all been denied. The evidence does not support the presence of current disabilities or a causal relationship to military service.

The Veteran's right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted service connection. Service connection for the remaining conditions (right hip, knee, elbow nerve, and musculoskeletal foot) is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected cervical and lumbosacral spine disabilities, as well as for the VA representative to be provided an opportunity to submit a statement regarding the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to his military service or a service-connected condition. The VA examiners provided negative nexus opinions regarding both direct and secondary service-connection.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for a left knee disability is not supported by adequate medical evidence and requires further examination.

The Board has reopened the service connection claims for bilateral hip disability, low back disability, and bilateral knee disability. The right shoulder claim is also remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right wrist condition, left knee condition, and asbestosis have been reopened. The claim for skin cancer has already been granted.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran’s asbestosis due to in-service exposure to asbestos.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for the Veteran's knee and lumbar spine disabilities were inadequate, and thus remanded to obtain further information regarding the severity of his conditions during flare-ups.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, finding that there is continuity of symptoms since service and resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded to determine the appropriate rating for his right knee disability after May 1, 2020. The current ratings are denied.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, left thigh disability, skin cancer, and left knee disability are granted. The claim for service connection for left ankle disability is denied. Service connection for right ankle disability and left arm scar is also granted. An initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is denied.

The Veteran was unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities from August 1, 2005 until March 22, 2006.

Service connection is granted for right and left knee osteoarthritis, acute idiopathic tachycardia (rapid heart rate), gynecological disability, status-post myomectomy for uterine fibroids, left wrist disability, right wrist disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability.