Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations and medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for right knee disability, sleep apnea, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and diverticulosis due to their potential connection with service-connected conditions or other relevant factors.

The Board has dismissed the issue of service connection for high cholesterol. The issues of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, sleep apnea, left knee disability, right knee osteoarthritis, and hypertension are remanded.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU on a schedular basis from June 21, 2013 due to his service-connected right knee disability and PTSD with depression.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with depression from June 8, 2019 is remanded. The issue of a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis prior to June 21, 2013 is also remanded.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis prior to June 21, 2013 is referred to the Director, Compensation Service for consideration.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD, lumbosacral strain, testicular injury, left knee degenerative arthritis, and right knee degenerative arthritis due to new evidence being added to the record.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, right knee disability, left knee disability, and skin disability due to new and material evidence. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The appeal for service connection for anemia (to include as due to Hepatitis B vaccination) and entitlement to a total disability rating for individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is dismissed. The appeals regarding the reduction in ratings for left knee arthritis and right knee tricompartmental degenerative joint disease are also dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, left knee osteoarthritis, and acute myelogenous leukemia. The claims are based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted as service connected, with the Board finding that her current condition is related to her active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further review due to new evidence added to the record since the last statement of the case.

The Veteran's right knee disorder, including a right knee strain and status post-right knee replacement, is granted as service connected.,Service connection for chronic kidney disease and neurogenic bladder secondary to diabetes mellitus are remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is not related to his service-connected PTSD and is considered a separate disability.,The Veteran's left knee arthritis was not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest within the applicable presumptive period, and is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,There is no evidence of record that links the current neck disability to active service. The disability is considered a separate condition from his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's dizziness was not shown as chronic in service and is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his left shoulder injury with bursitis and impingement syndrome was denied, as the evidence did not support a higher rating. The claim for service connection of his left knee disability was also denied due to lack of causal relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee arthritis and cervical spine arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his periods of active duty. The appeal regarding sleep apnea is remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus and residuals of heat stroke have been granted service connection. Service connection for hearing loss is denied, and the left knee disability claim has been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic right and left knee disorders are denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic right and left ankle disorders are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability, finding that there is no current diagnosis and thus no basis to grant service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a back disorder and increased ratings for right knee impairment and left knee DJD with painful motion, finding that the Veteran's conditions are not related to service or caused by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, thoracolumbar spine (back), right hip, left hip, and left knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities are service-connected, as his complaints of bilateral knee pain during service have continued since then.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent prior to June 3, 2019. The Veteran’s right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome are both rated at 10 percent. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for arthritis in the knees and degenerative arthritis of the spine.