Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for a right hip disability has been granted. The effective date of the grant is January 28, 2020.,Claims for increased ratings for left knee instability and discogenic disease of the dorsal spine have been remanded due to lack of evidence showing worsening in the year prior to March 3, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left knee disability, and left foot disability due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and denied an increased rating for the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's back and bilateral knee disorders. The case will be returned for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and left knee conditions, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee DJD is not secondary to service-connected right knee disability, and his right knee DJD is currently rated at 10%. The Veteran's recurrent right tibia osteochondroma excision residuals are also rated at 10%. The Board denied entitlement to a TDIU as the evidence did not show he was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted a separate rating of 10 percent for right knee instability since June 10, 2008.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete examinations and lack of evidence regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his right foot Achilles tendon disability, left and right knee disabilities, left hand and left pinky trigger finger disabilities, and tinea versicolor (claimed as skin disease) and PFB.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disability and denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent from April 26, 1996 to June 27, 2008 for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.

A 10 percent evaluation for left knee ITBFS is granted effective April 4, 2013.

The Veteran's helicobacter infection is not service-connected as it was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected GERD.,There is no current diagnosis of radiculopathy in either the right or left lower extremities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following gainful employment.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for hypertension, bilateral knee conditions, and bilateral hearing loss due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for PTSD and service connection for erectile dysfunction, right knee disorder, bilateral hip disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and a left thigh scar have been withdrawn. The claim for service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss has been denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss disability. Service connection for respiratory disorders (COPD, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia) related to asbestos and environmental exposures has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's IBS is granted a 30 percent rating.,Service connection for COPD and sleep disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Joint pain of ankles, knees, lower legs, shoulders, arms, and wrists are remanded due to insufficient evidence.,GERD and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to insufficient evidence.,No effective date provided as the decision is for appeal purposes only.

The Board denied service connection for lung, right knee, left knee, and acquired psychiatric disabilities (including PTSD) due to the Veteran's failure to report to scheduled examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, low back disability, and other joint disabilities due to new evidence received since previous decisions. The Veteran's service connection claim for chronic fatigue syndrome is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected internal derangement, left knee. The Board found that the evidence did not establish causation or aggravation in connection with his service-connected condition.

Service connection has been granted for left and right knee conditions.,The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but TDIU was granted.