Knee decisions — 2021

The Board denied service connection for back and left knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development, including a new VA examination to evaluate the current level of severity of the Veteran's knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings of migraine headaches, GERD, and left knee disabilities are being remanded.,Service connection for a respiratory disorder is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for new examinations to determine if there is a current disability related to service and whether any such disabilities are caused by service.

The Board has denied service connection for psoriasis, back pain, bilateral knee strain, and a respiratory disability as the evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to active duty.,There is no competent medical evidence linking any of the Veteran's claimed disabilities to his military service.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected mental health disorder. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied due to lack of in-service onset or continuity, and no nexus to service has been established.

The Board has granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from January 1, 2011 but not earlier. The decision resolves doubt in favor of the Veteran and finds that his service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing and following any substantially gainful employment since January 1, 2011.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient opinions regarding whether current right shoulder and knee disabilities are related to service. The Veteran's claims for service connection on a direct basis have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions in a previous VA examination, and additional development is needed including obtaining treatment records and providing an opinion on whether the Veteran's left knee condition was caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has found that the Veteran missed scheduled examinations for his claimed conditions and has ordered them to be rescheduled. The claims of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the shoulders, spine, hips, knees, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a bilateral knee disability due to additional evidence obtained during the appeal process. The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is related to exposure to jet fuel as a weapons mechanic, while his knee disability may be linked to an injury sustained in National Guard service.

The previously denied claims for lower back, left ankle, right ankle, left knee, and right knee disorders are reopened. The claim for gastrointestinal disorder is also reopened. However, the claims for a left wrist disorder remain pending as they need further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right knee disorder and pulmonary embolism due to inadequate examinations, need for additional medical opinions, and issues regarding service connection theory.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to concerns regarding clarification of diagnoses and etiology, as well as consideration of lay contentions.

The Veteran's appeal for a TDIU is remanded due to the failure of the VA examination to address all service-connected conditions and inconsistencies in the examiner's opinions. The case will be referred to the Director of Compensation Service for an addendum/updated opinion regarding the issue of entitlement to a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has denied service connection for right ankle and right knee disabilities as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease that caused the current conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has remanded several issues including those related to thyroid disability, hypertension, neck disability, back disability, bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral ankle disabilities, bilateral hamstring disabilities, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and sleep apnea. The case is also remanded for additional development regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee degenerative joint disease due to insufficient evidence in the August 2014 VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations, as well as requests for private medical records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for TBI and related conditions, including headaches, was denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.