Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right-knee disorder, left-knee disorder, and right-elbow disorder have been reopened. The Board finds that new evidence supports the reopening of these claims but does not find any evidence to support service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disability. The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea on a secondary basis.

The Board has denied service connection for major depressive disorder and remanded the issues of service connection for right knee condition and left knee condition.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee DJD and an initial evaluation of 70 percent for the acquired psychiatric disability, to include depressive disorder, effective from November 19, 2015. The appeal is denied for a higher rating after September 20, 2018.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's reported injuries and surgeries do not align with medical evidence showing no current disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability due to insufficient medical evidence and an inadequate examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical evidence linking the current left hip, knee, and leg disabilities to service. The Veteran's in-service jeep accident is noted but there are conflicting opinions regarding whether a fracture occurred.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations of his left knee, right knee, sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is also being remanded as it may be significantly impacted by the development of these issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, hypertension, hypertensive retinopathy, left ventricular hypertrophy, and mixed sleep apnea are all related to his service-connected right knee disorder. The Board has also found that these conditions have caused or aggravated obesity in the Veteran, which is a significant factor in determining whether they can be considered secondary to his service-connected disability. As such, the Board has decided to remand these claims for further examination and analysis.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral knee disability, PTSD, and TDIU has been granted. The rating for PTSD remains at 30 percent, but the Veteran is now eligible for a higher 70 percent rating due to his employment difficulties caused by PTSD.

Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is granted due to herbicide exposure. Service connection for residuals of a stroke, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50% throughout the appeal period. The Board has remanded for further development regarding service connection for a right knee disability and diabetes mellitus, as well as entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary for further development to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back, right hip, and right knee disabilities as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a right distal fibula fracture.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen service connection for a left knee disability is granted. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, status post knee replacement.

The Board has decided that the claim for service connection for a right knee disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence and requires additional development.

The Board denied service connection for left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis as secondary to left knee arthritis, and migraine headaches. The Veteran's left knee arthritis was not shown to have manifested within the applicable presumptive period or continuity of symptomatology has not been established.,Service connection for right knee arthritis was also denied as it is neither proximately due to nor aggravated by his service-connected left knee arthritis.

The appeals for initial compensable ratings for scars of the right knee and vaginitis, as well as service connection for GERD, anemia, and diabetes mellitus Type II have been dismissed. The appeals for increased rating for right knee patellofemoral syndrome, bilateral shin splints, right forearm condition, right wrist sprain, migraine headaches, pterygia (right eye condition), sinusitis, sleep apnea secondary to chronic bladder infection, hypertension, and right leg varicose veins are REMANDED.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability due to incomplete records and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have worsened since the last VA examinations, and he is requesting increased ratings. The Board has ordered new examinations to assess the current severity of his left wrist, left elbow, left scapula, and right knee disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and need for updated treatment records.