Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left knee disorder, including whether it is secondary to his service-connected right knee disability and whether it began during active service.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current osteoarthritis was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The Board also found no credible continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has remanded several issues for additional evidence, including the claims of service connection for eye disability, dizziness, right knee and left knee disabilities, and a right foot and left foot disabilities. The claim for an earlier effective date is dismissed due to finality.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral knee disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and cervical spine disorder due to incomplete records and untranslated documents.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine if her respiratory disability and back, right knee, left knee, psychiatric (anxiety disorder), and skin disabilities are related to her active service.,VA examinations will be scheduled to address these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability has also been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, pes planus, knee disabilities, neuritis, right eyebrow scar, and pseudofolliculitis barbae.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right total knee replacements, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current bilateral knee conditions and any incident of service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee patellar meniscus tear and pain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU effective from the date of this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral foot and knee conditions and lumbosacral degenerative joint disease, all secondary to obesity caused by service-connected PTSD. The Veteran's hearing loss claim was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ankle pain, right knee arthritis, and left knee pain due to insufficient evidence in the August 2015 VA examination. The case will be returned to the Board after completion of additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided that the service connection claims for lumbar spine and right knee disabilities need to be reconsidered due to new evidence added to the file.

Service connection is granted for left and right ankle disabilities, left and right wrist strain, and left and right knee chondromalacia. The claims of service connection for shoulder, elbow, and leg disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to address the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities throughout each distinct period on appeal.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board finds a remand necessary to schedule the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination in order to assess the current nature and severity of his service-connected disability.,The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 30 percent disabling. The Board finds a remand necessary for a new examination to determine the current nature and severity of his disability, given his reported symptoms since the last examination.,The Veteran contends he has a penile disorder related to military service. A VA examination is needed to determine if such condition had its onset in or is otherwise related to his military service.,The Veteran contends he has bilateral knee disorders related to military service. A VA examination is needed to determine the current nature and severity of his disability, as well as whether it is related to his military service.,The Veteran contends he has a skin disorder of the right foot (onychomycosis) and bilateral pes planus that are related to military service. A VA examination is needed to determine if such conditions had their onset in or are otherwise related to his military service.,The Veteran contends he has bilateral pes planus that are related to military service. A VA examination is needed to determine the current nature and severity of his disability, as well as whether it is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee disability, heart disability (including congestive heart failure), hypertension, and diabetes mellitus due to outstanding VA treatment records and incomplete medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during or within one year after service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and evaluation, including a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's right tibia angulation scar and knee strain.

The claims have been reopened, but further examination and evidence are needed to determine the nature and etiology of various disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is denied.