Knee decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left wrist disability, right wrist disability, TBI, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, and neck disability have been denied. The appeal is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded as the Board finds sufficient lay and medical evidence to suggest that his service-connected disabilities, despite falling short of schedular criteria for TDIU consideration, may have prevented him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left knee disability was denied. A 10 percent rating has been granted for the Veteran's service-connected left knee scars, effective September 22, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, sleep apnea, and bilateral knee disability have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The claim for tinnitus has been granted.,The claims for bilateral hearing loss, right foot disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are remanded as there is no clear or competent medical evidence establishing a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete development of the Veteran's National Guard service records.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis is granted as service connected. The issues of service connection for a left hip condition and low back condition are remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for right and left leg disorders, as well as right and left knee and ankle disorders. The issues of service connection for these conditions are all remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension and headaches are granted service connection.,Service connection for fatigue disability, vesicular dermatitis, gastrointestinal disorder, sleep apnea, joint pain, and muscle pain is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development of his left knee disability, including an examination to assess its current severity and functional impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete service records and the need for further verification of his National Guard and Army Reserve service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities, including ankle pain, knee disabilities, hand scars, back disability, chest pain, elbow disability, finger fracture, cervico brachial syndrome, and headache.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hand reactive arthritis, right elbow reactive arthritis, low back reactive arthritis, bilateral hip reactive arthritis, and left knee reactive arthritis disabilities as secondary to his service-connected hepatitis C disability.

The Board dismissed the appeal for an earlier effective date for radiculopathy sciatic nerve, right lower extremity. The claims of service connection for ankle and knee disabilities were reopened due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. However, the appeals for TDIU prior to February 28, 2018, and as of that date, remain pending.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, low back disorder, TIA/migraines, and right knee disorder as the evidence did not support a nexus to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete verification of periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA) from April 1999 through July 2006. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to verify these periods by contacting the Veteran's Reserve units, or provide a formal finding if they cannot be located.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability and a left foot disability, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are causally related to active duty service.,Both the Veteran's left knee and left foot disabilities have been found to be directly related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for coccidioidomycosis disseminated to the left knee, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after service and concluding that it is not related to military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee injury and left knee strain with pain, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is dismissed. The claims for service connection for pes planus, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee are denied.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for left knee osteoarthritis effective January 29, 2018, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's headaches and right knee arthritis are found to be service-connected.