Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the current condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim has been withdrawn.,His low back disability claim was reopened due to new evidence showing degenerative disc disease and arthritis. Service connection is granted for this condition.,Service connection is denied for a jaw disability, as there is no indication of an injury related to service.,Service connection is denied for bilateral knee disabilities, as the Veteran did not report any injuries during service that could be linked to his current conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral knee condition and cervical spine condition are not service-connected. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for service connection of right ankle, left knee, and back disabilities is granted. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee osteoarthritis and right knee instability due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations. The claims will be reviewed with new VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, failing eyesight, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, right knee disability, left knee disability (secondary to right knee), right hip arthritis (secondary to right knee), and left hip arthritis (secondary to right knee) have all been denied. The Veteran's claims are not supported by the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the claims for further evidentiary development due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's service-connected pes planus is not found to be related to any of his claimed disabilities.

The claim to service connection for a cholesterol disability is dismissed. The claims to service connection for bilateral knee, gout, back, and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy disabilities are denied. Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for heart disability is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability required a surgical procedure on January 26, 2015. The Board granted a temporary total rating for convalescence due to surgery from January 26, 2015 to April 27, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence to support a direct or secondary relationship between his service-connected left ankle sprain and his current knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for right and left ankle disabilities. The Board finds the preponderance of evidence against a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee strain.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the service connection claims for a left knee disability and PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for initial compensable ratings for right and left knee osteoarthritis, resulting in the dismissal of these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has remanded them due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding his acquired psychiatric disorder, neck condition, residuals of chemical burns, left knee condition, and low back condition.

The Veteran's right knee condition was granted a 20 percent rating prior to October 18, 2012 and a 10 percent rating from December 1, 2012. The 10 percent rating for the pre-surgery period is discontinued.

The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic headache disorder, left foot disorder, left ankle disorder, DJD of the right knee, DJD of the left knee, and lumbar spine disorder.,There is no evidence in the STRs or VA treatment records that supports a link between any of these conditions and active duty service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, anxiety and depression. The other claims of service connection are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, as the VA examiners' opinions are inadequate for determining whether the Veteran's left knee disability is related to service.