Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right and left elbow braces are entitled to annual clothing allowances. The issue of a clothing allowance for topical pain medication (steroid cream) is remanded due to unclear reference in the SOC.

The Board denied reopening of the claim for service connection for left knee disability due to lack of new and material evidence, including the Veteran's statements about aggravation during basic training.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development of his claims, including a right knee and scar examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension has been reopened and is now pending.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, respiratory disorder, and gastrointestinal disorder have all been reopened and are now pending.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a left knee disability and a rating in excess of 10 percent for left thigh strain have been dismissed due to the withdrawal request by his attorney.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip bursitis, right and left knee arthritis, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss disability. Service connection was denied for residuals of a chest injury.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to his service-connected left varicocele is granted. The Board also finds that the Veteran is entitled to SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ due to his service-connected erectile dysfunction.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis and right knee osteoarthritis due to conflicting opinions on secondary service connection.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of left hip arthritis, left knee arthritis, right hip arthritis, and right knee arthritis due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia is currently rated at 30 percent for instability, and a separate 10 percent rating for limited flexion. The Veteran also meets the criteria for TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran has been granted a separate 20 percent disability rating for limited flexion of the left knee.

The Veteran withdrew all of his appeals regarding the service connection for left knee disability, left hand carpal tunnel syndrome, and other conditions. The Board has dismissed the appeal as there are no remaining issues to consider.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee DJD, finding that there was no in-service injury or chronic disability related to the condition. The evidence did not show onset of symptoms within a year of discharge from active duty.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a sleep disability. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to its inextricability with these other issues.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right knee patellar tendonitis are granted as the condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lower back disorder, residuals of a right ankle disorder, and bilateral knee disorder have been denied as the evidence does not establish that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral knee injury and hearing loss disability due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, Major Depression, and related disabilities are granted. The claims for CFS, fibromyalgia, and a skin disability are denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee condition and remanded the claims for right hip, left hip, and erectile dysfunction. The decision is pending further examination and opinion.

The claim for service connection of a left knee disability has been reopened, but the case is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology and nature of the disability. The Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for alopecia areata also requires further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD and bilateral knee disabilities, as well as secondary service connection for both conditions, have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for direct service connection or secondary service connection.