Knee decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, Peyronie’s disease, and varicocele cyst.,No compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 was granted as the claim is still pending.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for shrapnel scars to the left knee and foot is dismissed.,Service connection was denied for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II or PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for arthritis of the left knee and left patella subluxation have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as a sleep disorder, due to potential relationships with his service-connected hepatitis C and PTSD. The claims will be reviewed again with additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral knee degenerative joint disease was denied. The Board found that the correct effective date is January 10, 2011, as this is later than the date entitlement arose.

The Veteran's appeals for bilateral hearing loss and angina have been dismissed.,The petition to reopen the claim for hemorrhoids was granted, but only partially. The petition to reopen the claim for headaches was also granted, but only partially.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for lower back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a back condition, left knee condition, right hip condition, left hip condition, and an abdominal condition. The case will proceed with further examinations to determine if these conditions are related to military service.

The Board denied the petitions to reopen claims of service connection for back and right knee disorders, as well as service connection for left shoulder disorder, sinus disorder, and diverticulitis. The decisions were based on a lack of evidence relating these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee and right hip disabilities, finding that they are secondary to a previously service-connected low back disability.,Service connection for PTSD and a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD have been denied due to lack of verified stressors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disabilities and hepatitis C due to a lack of sufficient evidence to decide the claim. The RO is instructed to obtain all VA medical records, schedule the Veteran for an examination, and provide a definitive opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his knee conditions and hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claim for right knee degenerative joint disease was denied as it is not service-connected, and the condition is not secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including dental disorders and PTSD, were denied. The Board found no evidence of a qualifying dental disorder or current disability for the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee condition is not service-connected as it did not begin during service and is not related to an in-service injury or disease. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that his pre-existing left knee condition was aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's use of bilateral knee braces and a back brace for service-connected conditions is found to affect distinct types of clothing, warranting annual clothing allowances for the year 2015.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis and instability, low back strain with sciatic nerve involvement, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and status post removal of scalp tumor are all granted. The rating for low back strain is increased to 40 percent.

The Veteran's left shoulder disorder, diagnosed as chronic bicipital tendonitis, was not manifested in service and is not related to his active service.,A chronic back disorder was not manifested in service; arthritis of the lumbar spine was not manifested in the first post-service year; and a current back disorder is not otherwise shown to be related to service or proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for all issues as the remand directives in the August 2018 have not been complied with. The Veteran's claims are being returned to the AOJ for additional development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee injury and arthritis, as well as right knee, status post-replacement with scarring. This includes obtaining outstanding service treatment records, private treatment records, and military personnel records. The Veteran should also be scheduled for a VA examination to address the etiology of her claimed knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence and need further development. Specifically, additional records from Social Security Administration (SSA) and VA treatment records are required.