Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to an inadequate VA examination, and she needs to provide information about her left knee flare-ups.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with diabetes mellitus, type II and its associated peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as well as amputation of the right leg below the knee being found to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability and essential tremors of both hands due to inadequate examinations in prior decisions. The claims are being returned for further evaluation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, bilateral foot, and lumbar spine disabilities as secondary to his right knee disability. The VA examiners found no evidence of a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service or any other condition.

The Board has denied service connection for residuals of right knee injury and remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's PTSD and bilateral knee condition prevented her from securing or following substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, right knee chondromalacia with tibial stress injury, left shoulder strain, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and spondylosis, bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis, left great toe strain, and right great toe strain. The reasons include the need for updated VA outpatient treatment records and more contemporaneous examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the bilateral shoulders, hips, and knees as there was no chronic in-service or post-service diagnosis. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for migraine headaches as there was no evidence linking them to service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding service connection for right and left knee conditions. The VA examiner is required to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's bilateral knee disorders are related to military service, including a fall from a pole during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is reopened, and the case is remanded to determine if his current left knee disability is related to his service-connected right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating greater than 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's appeal for a rating greater than 20 percent for left knee degenerative joint disease with limitation of extension is remanded. The appeal for entitlement to TDIU is also remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pulmonary embolism and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett's esophagus. The left knee condition claim is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for entitlement to increased disability ratings for left and right ankle disabilities, as well as for left knee instability. The appeal for increased disability ratings for left and right knee disabilities is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left knee disabilities due to inadequate examination and failure to provide a flare-up opinion. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the left knee claims.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right knee arthritis and atrial fibrillation. The cases will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck, left knee, right knee, right ankle, and left hip disabilities due to issues with the qualifications of the medical examiner and insufficient evidence regarding the current status of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia was denied as it would violate the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.14, which prohibits granting service connection for a disability that is part and parcel of another condition already in service-connected status.,Ratings for right and left knee disabilities were also denied as they did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for left knee injuries due to inadequate examination findings and lack of range of motion testing.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was granted service connection. The right wrist and right knee conditions are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, including its relationship to service-connected bronchial asthma and obesity caused by left knee disabilities.