Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee conditions, as well as a low back condition. The issues are related to whether these conditions are directly related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders due to inadequate examination in determining a nexus with service.

The Board denied the reopening of the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability because new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of a traumatic brain injury was denied. The rating for lumbar spine disability before September 16, 2016 and in excess of 20 percent thereafter, as well as the rating for left knee disability between June 4, 2015 and September 16, 2016 were also denied.

The Veteran is granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective March 17, 2017 due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability, but denied service connection for a back disability. The right knee disability is considered to have begun during active service and the Veteran's current diagnosis of lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's current left knee disability is related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board dismissed both issues of entitlement to service connection for left knee disability and left ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's current left knee disability is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and bilateral knee disorder due to incomplete opinions in the VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for ED, BHL, tinnitus, OSA, and depression are reopened. The Board has remanded several issues including increased ratings and effective dates. Service connection is granted for OSA but denied for BHL and tinnitus. Depression is service connected.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back, and knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various knee, shoulder, elbow, and spine disabilities have been denied. The effective dates for the initial ratings of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral) and left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral), as well as for the initial rating of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic) and left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic), have been amended to October 21, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are granted for tinnitus, head injury (TBI), and headache disorder. The Board finds the Veteran has credible evidence of in-service events that support these claims. However, his claims for right total knee replacement, left ankle fracture, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded as there is insufficient medical opinion to establish a nexus between his current conditions and service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's service connection claim for right knee degenerative joint disease and remanded other claims due to incomplete records and inadequate examination.

Service connection for a bleeding prostate is denied.,Service connection for trouble swallowing is denied.,Service connection for chloracne or skin rash (dermatitis) is denied.,Service connection for right lower extremity neuropathy is denied.,An initial rating for left knee disability in excess of 10% is denied.,PTSD rating prior to August 28, 2015, and 70% thereafter (but no higher) is granted.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, bilateral knee condition, heart condition secondary to anxiety disorder, and residuals of a head injury (claimed as TBI).,There is no evidence linking the current conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and right ankle disorders due to inadequate examination reports and the need for further medical inquiry.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, neck disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims for left knee disability, left hip disability, and right hip disability have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and an addendum opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder is related to service.