Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's right knee disability is being remanded for further evaluation due to the possibility of increased severity since his last examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and denied DIC benefits under Section 1318. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran’s service-connected conditions caused or contributed to his cancer, which resulted in his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include psychiatric disorders, diabetes, hypertension, ankle conditions, knee conditions, and low back condition.

The Veteran's right knee instability and osteoarthritis have not met the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.,For the period from June 21, 2017 to November 6, 2018, the Veteran’s right knee disability has not met the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee and right-knee service-connected conditions due to a lack of attempts by VA to obtain private treatment records from Dr. T.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various foot, knee, and back disabilities, as well as prostate cancer. The claims are being returned to VA for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. However, the Board has found that additional development is needed due to insufficient evidence regarding his diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, right and left knee conditions, and neck condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and assessments of his service-connected conditions, particularly regarding functional loss during flare-ups.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for a left shoulder condition, low back condition, and left knee condition due to the need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence, particularly regarding his PTSD, right knee DJD, skin disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for left hip and left knee disabilities prior to May 10, 2013 were granted at a 20 percent rating. The effective date of service connection for these conditions was set as November 10, 2009.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for additional vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits, including a change in his long-range goal to obtain a master’s degree in Physics. The decision concluded that achieving maximum rehabilitation gain (MRG) had been met and that changing the long-range goal would not be more likely to improve his situation.

The Veteran's appeals of service connection for joint and muscle aches, memory problems, right knee disability, left knee disability, sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disability have been dismissed.,New evidence received since the August 2008 denial has reopened the claim of service connection for headaches.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury and residuals of a left testicle injury, finding no competent evidence relating these conditions to his active military service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for right knee and right foot disabilities due to concerns about the qualifications of the November 2017 VA examiner who conducted the examinations. The Veteran needs new examinations by an orthopedic physician.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, right elbow disorder, headaches, right and left knee disorders, a right ankle/leg disorder, low back disorder, and psychiatric disorder are all denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's chronic nerve pain, headaches/migraines, muscle and joint pain, abdominal pain, fatigue condition, low back disorder, hypertension, appendix cancer or residuals of appendix cancer, and right knee disorder are being remanded for further evaluation due to the possibility that they may be related to service, including as part of a Gulf War illness.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his thoracic/lumbar spine, bilateral hand tremors, and right knee disabilities. The Veteran is required to provide an addendum opinion on these issues.

The Board has found that the appellant's claimed left knee, right knee, TBI residuals, right eye, and low back disabilities are not service-connected. The claims for these conditions have been remanded to allow further investigation into the timing of the injuries and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's cervical strain disability is not service connected as it did not occur during his active duty and was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition.,For the entire period on appeal, the Veteran's right knee injury manifested with limited motion but without ankylosis, recurrent subluxation, lateral instability, malunion or nonunion of the tibia and fibula, or genu recurvatum. Therefore, he is not entitled to a rating higher than 20 percent.