Knee decisions — 2021

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is granted service connection as presumed due to herbicide exposure, while his bilateral knee arthritis is denied as not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea and right knee disability due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran is seeking service connection based on in-service injuries, while VA has provided opinions that are inadequate or silent regarding the relationship between his current conditions and service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examinations in previous decisions, and a new examination is needed to assess the severity of the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his right knee DJD and TKR did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings, and left knee painful motion did not warrant a separate rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in an inability to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, so his claim for total disability based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a left knee disability, and migraine headaches.,There is no evidence of any current or in-service psychiatric condition that would support the Veteran's claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, ankle, and shoulder disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is not presumed to have a chronic condition in service or within presumptive periods.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disorder, right hip disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and bronchitis due to additional development being required.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there is no causal relationship between his in-service injury and his current condition.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including osteoarthritis and instability, was not found to warrant a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the cases of hypertension, arthritis of the fingers (also claimed as gout), and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities for further development.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and various cold injury residuals are denied. The claim for chronic obstructive airway disease is also denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and blindness of the left eye, but has remanded both issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's left knee disability, which includes a total knee replacement surgery, is currently rated at 30 percent from June 1, 2015. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating due to lack of 'severe' painful motion or weakness.

The Veteran's bilateral knee replacements and right ankle fracture with posttraumatic arthritis are rated at 60 percent each, granting the requested increased ratings.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for headaches, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to new service personnel records showing multiple periods of active duty for training (ANACDUTRA). The claims will be reviewed with consideration of these additional periods.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and bilateral pes planus need further examination to determine if they are related to service or have been aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his service-connected right knee osteoarthritis, lumbosacral strain, and left inguinal hernia.