Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left hip and left knee disabilities, as well as tinea pedis, are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran is also seeking a TDIU, which has been granted.

The Board has denied service connection for left and right knee conditions, finding no medical evidence linking the current diagnoses to service or other service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims for service connection can be decided. The case will be sent back to the AOJ for review of all evidence added since the last supplemental statement of the case.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not related to his military service or VA treatment.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was noted at service entrance and is not presumed to have been aggravated during service. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of aggravation, thus denying service connection for this condition.,Service connection for the left knee disability is remanded due to the need for an opinion addressing direct service connection based on the conceded in-service injury.,The Veteran's skin condition (likely Pseudofolliculitis Barbae and hyperpigmented scars) was not related to active service, as there were no in-service or post-service diagnoses of this condition. The remand is for an opinion addressing whether it is at least as likely as not that the condition had its onset in service.,Service connection for the acquired psychiatric disorder (likely depressive disorder) is remanded due to the need for an opinion addressing direct service connection based on the Veteran's reports of in-service left knee injury and/or incident involving a gas chamber.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's conditions, including prostate cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus type II, erectile dysfunction (claimed as impotency), and total left knee replacement. The claims are being remanded for additional development.

The Board has ordered the AOJ to schedule examinations for the Veteran's back and left knee disabilities, as well as obtain opinions from the examiner addressing the likely causes of these conditions. The case is being remanded due to inadequate medical examination reports.

The Veteran's right knee instability and status post ACL right knee, as well as his low back disability, are remanded for further evaluation due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and conflicting statements regarding hearing requests. The claims are related to presumed herbicide agent exposure, but no VA examiner has provided an opinion on whether any of the claimed conditions are related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities due to a need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted with effective dates of December 29, 2014.,These decisions are based on the Veteran filing her claims electronically in the VA eBenefits system prior to submitting a formal claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for respiratory disability, left ankle disability, and left knee disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip trochanteric pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, lumbar spine DDD, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder, chronic sinusitis, and asthma have been granted service connection. The left knee disorder remains in dispute as the appeal is remanded.

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of a right knee disability is granted. Service connection for migraine headaches is also granted. The Board finds the Veteran's claims for service connection of a right knee disability and erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating of his knee disabilities due to incomplete records and inadequate examinations. The AOJ is required to obtain all outstanding service records, schedule new VA examinations, and consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability are currently rated as noncompensable. The cervical spine, bilateral hip, shoulder, hand, foot, lumbar spine, and left knee disabilities have not been service connected.,The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's current cervical spine, bilateral hip, shoulder, hand, foot, lumbar spine, and left knee disabilities are related to his INACDUTRA or aggravated by a preexisting right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral knee conditions. Additional medical opinions are needed.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations to address the Veteran's complaints of headache, shoulder, and knee pain as well as inservice bilateral knee complaints in Service Treatment Records (STRs) and since service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various joint disabilities associated with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome have been denied. The RO has granted additional service connection and assigned new ratings, but the Veteran is not entitled to higher ratings under current regulations.