Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to incomplete service medical records and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Morning Reports from the Veteran's unit during Basic Training and seeking opinions on whether the Veteran's current joint disorders are related to his service or due to herbicide exposure. The claims of urinary incontinence, left thumb disorder, right thumb disorder, and rectal, bowel, or colon disability as due to military sexual assault have also been remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine, right hip, and left hip disorders have been denied as not related to his service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left knee disability, specifically concerning functional impairment during flare-ups and with repeated use over time.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the remaining issues on appeal due to incomplete service records.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the grants of service connection for patellofemoral pain syndrome, bilateral knees is denied. The effective date will be set as May 26, 2015.

The Veteran's neck disability and skin disability of the hands are not service-connected.,Effective November 19, 2010, a 10 percent rating is granted for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome under DC 5261. A separate 10 percent rating is also granted for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome under DC 5260.

The Veteran's initial and subsequent ratings for right and left knee disabilities prior to and since January 29, 2019 were denied as the medical evidence did not support a higher rating under either pre-amended or amended VA criteria.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or maintain gainful employment prior to June 18, 2019.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of hypertension, heart disorder, BPH, cervical spine degenerative disc disease with cervical muscle spasm, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and spondylosis, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, bilateral hip degenerative arthritis, right knee DJD, right ankle condition, vision disability (glaucoma and cataracts), and acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service.

The Board dismissed all appeals due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional evidence and development, including obtaining private treatment records and worker's compensation claim information.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disorder due to incomplete records from his in-service treatment and post-service VA treatment. The case will be reviewed again with additional evidence.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the service connection for a left knee disability, and the Board has dismissed the appeal accordingly.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, migraine headaches, a deviated nasal septum, left knee tendonitis, right knee tendonitis, and shingles. These conditions are all found to be related to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left foot, hip, and knee conditions as secondary to his already service-connected right hip, knee, ankle, and foot conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right eye cataract and right knee osteoarthritis due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete records. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if his conditions are related to his military service, including exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of right knee, right ankle, bilateral eye, and tinnitus disabilities have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the remaining issues: nose/sinus disability, left knee disability, cervical spine disability, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his PTSD and sleep apnea, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lower left extremity disability and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's pre-existing left leg laceration was not aggravated during service, and he did not have any other left leg disabilities that were service connected.