Knee decisions — 2020

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current knee conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's right and left knee disorders have been rated at 10 percent prior to March 24, 2010 and at 20 percent thereafter.,Higher ratings for the knees are not warranted as there is no evidence of instability or severe joint disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disorder is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his service-connected low back disability and for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The VA will obtain all relevant records, including SSA records, and arrange for a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's low back disability.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for sinusitis and GERD have been withdrawn.,Service connection has not been granted for bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, or lumbar spine with degenerative joint disease.

The Board has restored service connection for ischemic heart disease and remanded the issues of service connection for a left knee condition, colon condition (claimed as colon polyps), and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board denied his claim for an increased rating.,The Veteran’s thoracolumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy were not shown to be related to service or a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD) is remanded due to new evidence received since the last denial in 2012.,No specific exposure basis was provided for any of the conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and consideration of service connection for a meniscal tear in the left knee, including considering recent MRI findings and an NIH study.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, and left knee condition have been denied. The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea and left knee condition.

The Veteran's appeal for increased evaluations for his knee conditions was dismissed because he withdrew the appeal in writing.

Effective October 1, 2014, the Veteran was granted service connection for right and left knee injuries (patellar/quadriceps tendon ruptures), bilateral knee scars, and an anxiety disorder. Effective October 1, 2014, he also received separate 10% ratings for right and left knee instability.,The Veteran's hypertension claim is remanded as there are no prior unadjudicated claims.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and service connection for various peripheral neuropathies have been remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection has not been established for low back disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right knee disability, or left knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is granted, as new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim. The Board finds that the current left knee condition is etiologically linked to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's vertigo is currently rated as noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 6204 due to the lack of objective findings supporting the diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium.,The Veteran’s essential tremor has increased in severity since his last VA examination, and he should be provided an opportunity for a VA examination to determine its current severity.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of April 30, 2009 for the grant of a total disability rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU). The Veteran was unable to maintain substantial gainful employment from April 30, 2009 to August 2, 2013 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for knee disability, diabetes mellitus, and restrictive lung disease have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of low back, left knee, right knee, and kidney disorders due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The claims for service connection of left heel, right heel, and left ankle disorders are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.,Additional examination is required to determine if the Veteran’s unspecified depressive disorder is related to his in-service exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards.,An additional VA examination is needed to assess whether the Veteran’s headaches are due to exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.,The Veteran's sleep disturbance (including sleep apnea and insomnia) claims require an additional VA examination to determine if they are related to his in-service exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.,An additional VA examination is needed to assess whether the Veteran’s athlete's foot is due to exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.,The Veteran's fibromyalgia with bilateral leg pain claims require an additional VA examination to determine if it is related to his in-service exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.,An additional VA examination is needed to assess whether the Veteran’s hypertension is due to exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.,The Veteran's right knee disability claims require an additional VA examination to determine if they are related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and/or Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.,The Veteran's left knee disability claims require an additional VA examination to determine if they are related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and/or Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability claims require an additional VA examination to determine if they are related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and/or Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.,The Veteran's skin rash on face and head claims require an additional VA examination to determine if it is due to exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.,An additional VA examination is needed to assess whether the Veteran’s gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is related to his in-service exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards, specifically being 'often' exposed to sand/dust and smoke from oil fire.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board also remanded the claims for low back condition, bilateral hand condition, right shoulder injury, and bilateral knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal for further development and evaluation of her service-connected left knee, left ankle, right knee reflex sympathetic dystrophy, and low back disabilities due to inadequate prior examinations.