Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and hip disabilities, as well as secondary service connection for a lumbar spine disability due to his service-connected left knee and hip disabilities, are all granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate examinations and additional testing.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, right hip arthritis, and knee disabilities (both right and left) as secondary to the Veteran's flat feet. The evidence did not support a finding of aggravation or direct service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right knee disorders, finding that they are related to his active service. The rating assigned is 100%.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal disabilities and hepatitis C due to his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, but the issue of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's left knee disability, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and hypertension have been rated appropriately. However, the issues of service connection for diabetes, hearing loss, and TDIU are not resolved due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee disabilities, including instability, were denied. Separate 10% ratings for left and right knee instability are granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the other issues are remanded as there is insufficient evidence to determine if they are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative joint disease status post compression fracture with low back strain and other related conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since October 12, 2019. As such, the Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date.

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

The Board has denied service connection for glaucoma, a heart disorder (claimed as heart attack with stents and congestive heart failure), hypertension, neuropathy, and a tumor in the knee. The evidence does not establish that these conditions began during or within one year of active service, are related to an in-service injury or disease, or are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's skin condition was initially denied a compensable rating prior to May 8, 2019. After that date, he received a 10 percent rating for his pseudofolliculitis barbae with two painful scars. The left knee LCL and patellofemoral pain syndrome secondary issues were also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for left and right knee disorders due to a failure to obtain a VA examination. The Veteran's knee issues are believed to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for hemorrhoids has been granted, and his bilateral pes planus, right knee disorder, and right hip disorder have also been granted.,Service connection is established for the Veteran's bilateral pes planus, right knee disorder, and right hip disorder.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and consideration of new evidence, including VA examination reports. The issues of service connection for various disabilities remain on appeal.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left knee conditions, including obtaining records from Norfolk Naval Air Base and SSA disability benefits file.

The petition to reopen claims for various conditions, including sleep apnea and hemorrhoids, is granted. The issues of service connection are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The left knee disability issue is remanded due to incomplete records.