Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed for the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities due to incomplete examination records and the need to assess functional impairment during flare-ups. The claims are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee injury and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis (back condition) are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, including for a right knee condition and diabetes mellitus.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea and remanded the issue of service connection for right knee nerve disorder as secondary to post-operative right knee disorders and orthoscopic surgeries.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, as was his request for increased disability ratings. The appeal is dismissed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee strain, finding that there was no evidence linking his current disability to his in-service injury.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression is related to service, and the claim for this condition has been granted. The claims for other disabilities have been remanded.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression is related to service, and the claim for this condition has been granted. The claims for other disabilities have been remanded.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression is related to service, and the claim for this condition has been granted. The claims for other disabilities have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right knee disability and a skin condition due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. The new evidence received since the last final denial supports a finding of service connection for right knee, left knee, radiculopathy of the lower left extremity, and allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's application for an annual VA clothing allowance for the year 2016 was submitted after the July 31, 2016 deadline and thus was denied.

The Veteran's cause of death is remanded for further review, including obtaining SSA records and determining the eligibility for substitution. The DIC claim remains inextricably intertwined with the substitution issue.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent for pain, but the VA examiners did not assess whether there is arthritis or instability. The Board finds that the examination reports are inadequate and a new examination is needed to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has determined that new examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected left knee condition and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to potential increased severity since the last VA examination in August 2014.

The appeals for service connection for a spine condition, bilateral hip condition, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee disability with limitation of motion, and right knee instability have been dismissed due to the absence of an adequate substantive appeal. The petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for psychiatric disability has been granted. The appeals for service connection for a psychiatric disability (claimed as depression) and headaches are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left Achilles disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and plantar fasciitis with Haglund’s deformity due to insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for service-connected left knee arthritis and allergic rhinitis was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, left knee disability, and hypertension are related to his service-connected right knee condition. The claims for a compensable rating for the right knee disability, service connection for the left knee disability, and service connection for hypertension have been remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to address the severity of his sleep apnea, knee disabilities, lumbar spine disability, and left elbow disability. The maximum schedular rating for bilateral metatarsalgia has been granted.