Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee internal derangement and an acquired psychiatric condition (unspecified depressive disorder) due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether these conditions were aggravated by service or caused by a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee condition, tinnitus, and diverticulitis are all granted. The claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and consideration of his left knee disability, as well as TDIU.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased evaluations for his service-connected left knee instability and disability are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus began in basic training and has been ongoing since then. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Coronary artery disease, Barrett's esophagus, and diabetes mellitus type II are remanded due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or exposure to Camp Lejeune contaminated water.,A hiatal hernia is remanded as the Veteran contends it preexisted service and was aggravated by an assault during basic training. Service connection for asthma or COPD, related to asbestos exposure, is also remanded.,The Veteran's knee disorder is remanded due to his in-service specialty of wireman which may have contributed to the condition. Service connection for a bilateral knee disorder is also remanded.,Service connection for asthma and COPD are remanded as the Veteran contends these conditions began during service or were aggravated by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to service and has been granted. The low back, right hip, left knee, and psychiatric disorder claims are remanded for further examination and analysis.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back pain, neck pain, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, and hypertension due to potential service connection based on a claimed in-service fall from an aircraft carrier deck.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been presented to show that his pre-existing right knee disorder was permanently aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, status post left knee lateral meniscectomy, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to inadequate examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability. The Veteran is entitled to a presumption of soundness on entry in service with respect to her right knee, which may only be rebutted by clear and unmistakable evidence. Further development is needed for a proper adjudication.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the appeals are granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of the left and right knee disorders have been dismissed. For the initial rating period on appeal, from January 14, 2014, a disability rating of 50 percent has been granted for PTSD.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of the denial of service connection for low back disability, residuals of right knee arthroscopic surgery, acquired psychiatric disorder, and diabetes mellitus as there was no adequate substantive appeal filed.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's service connection claim for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and remanded the issues of service connection, increase rating for left knee derangement, and TDIU.

The Veteran's left knee and hip/thigh disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his service-connected left foot disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new examinations and opinions.

The Board denied service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and bilateral hearing loss as the evidence did not support a nexus to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a bilateral knee disability, finding that there is no current diagnosis and no evidence linking any diagnosed condition to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his left knee and right hip disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, left leg radiculopathy, tinnitus, right knee scar, sleep apnea, headaches, bilateral hearing loss, chronic right and left leg disabilities to include blood clots, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, a left knee disorder, and right and left foot diabetic neuropathy have been denied. The Veteran's claim for an initial 70% rating for PTSD has been granted.