Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee and right ankle conditions due to insufficient examination reports and lack of nexus opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination reports and incomplete development of stressor allegations. The issues include PTSD, depression, anxiety, bilateral ankle condition, bilateral knee condition, and low back disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, fracture of the left shin, and left ankle injury residuals. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding these issues.,The Veteran's tinnitus claim remains pending as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, and lumbosacral strain due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for further development to determine its relationship to service-connected PTSD and any other service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is remanded for further development to determine its relationship to service or a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's right foot bone spur is remanded for further development to determine its relationship to service or a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's bilateral eye disorder (dry eye syndrome) is remanded for further development to determine if it is related to exposure to burn pits during service.,The Veteran's right knee disorder is remanded for further development to determine its relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the remaining claims of low back disability, right knee disability, bilateral wrist disabilities, and bilateral finger neuropathy.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee injury, osteoarthritis, and scars have been denied. The current ratings are consistent with the severity of his conditions as documented in medical records.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is now rated at 20 percent effective September 3, 2013.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is rated at 50 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Right knee strain with limitation of flexion is rated at 10 percent and right knee instability is separately rated at 10 percent. The left knee strain with limitation of extension is rated at 20 percent from August 22, 2019, and left knee instability is separately rated at 10 percent.,The Veteran's initial claims for bilateral knee pain were denied in November 2011 but reopened on March 27, 2017. The effective date of service connection for right and left knee disabilities was assigned as March 20, 2017.,SMC based on housebound status is not granted earlier than January 6, 2017.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, diabetes mellitus, and prostate cancer. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or herbicide exposure.,Service connection was denied because there is no medical evidence linking any current diagnoses to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability has been reopened, with the evidence showing a link between the Veteran's military service and his current condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left foot disability has been reopened, with the evidence showing a link between the Veteran's military service and his current condition.

The Veteran's application to reopen the service connection claim for right knee tendonitis is granted. To this extent only, the appeal is granted.,Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left ankle and entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right ankle are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and now needs a new medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's current right knee disability is related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's left knee disorder is related to his military service and whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected left ankle strain.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling due to painful motion and degenerative arthritis. A separate 10 percent rating for arthritis with painful motion has been granted.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as service-connected, with the onset during service.,Service connection for bilateral foot disability is granted. The Veteran's current disabilities are linked to his active service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left hip disabilities, as well as his right and left knee disabilities are being reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,A VA examination is required to determine the etiology of the Veteran’s neck, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral flat feet and a bilateral knee disability, including as due to bilateral flat feet. The appeal was dismissed for diabetes mellitus and arthritis in both hands (claimed as pain in both hands).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various joint disabilities due to incomplete records and inadequate examinations. The Veteran's current conditions are being evaluated, along with his in-service injury from a motor vehicle accident.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inconsistencies in the examiner's report and the need for a new examination to clarify when the Veteran's osteoarthritis had its onset.