Knee decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right hip, knee, and leg conditions due to a lack of formal finding regarding unavailable service treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for low back and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions began during active service.

The Board has decided the case is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disability is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right hip, left hip, left knee, and right knee due to inadequate opinions in the prior VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee enthesopathy and strain, finding that these conditions are secondary to the Veteran's already service-connected psoriatic arthritis.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from October 4, 2005 through April 18, 2007 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, right knee arthritis, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to new evidence received after the April 2016 rating decision. The Veteran reported incidents of falling from aircraft during service which may be related to his current disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis based on continuous post-service symptoms since service separation, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service complaints of collapsing and giving way of the left knee.

The Board has dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's claims, including an increased rating for asbestos-related pleural plaques and service connection for a left knee condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for traumatic brain injury, right knee disability, headaches, and tinnitus were denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for a left ankle scar.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability and left knee disability. Service connection for nose disability to include nose bleeds due to chemical exposure is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran must be provided with a VA examination to determine if he has any chronic disability of his knees or ankles, and whether it is related to service.

The Board has found that additional development is needed for the issues on appeal, including obtaining outstanding records and scheduling VA examinations. The Veteran's service-connected conditions of sinusitis, major depressive disorder, chondromalacia patella, right knee, and chronic lumbosacral strain/sprain are still under review.

The Veteran's left knee disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation due to recent surgeries and incomplete medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, disability of the spine (including lumbar and cervical spines), residuals of pneumonia, and chronic joint pain associated with pneumonia.,There is no evidence linking any of these conditions to active service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including scheduling a VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right knee and leg disability. The cervical spondylosis claim is also being remanded due to an inadequate medical opinion in the February 2020 VA examination report.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA examination and need for additional development. The Veteran's left knee disability is being reviewed again, with a focus on its relationship to service-connected back disability and inservice MOS.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease has not been manifested by limitation of flexion to 30 degrees or less, and the Board finds that his disability does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot disability and right knee disability have been granted. The issues of service connection for right ankle disability and left ankle disability are being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected left leg disability has been rated at 30% for limitation of flexion, but the extension remains limited to zero degrees and does not warrant a higher rating.