Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability, which may be related to service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn the claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for various conditions, including hypertension, right wrist sprain, left wrist sprain, and left knee strain. As a result, there are no remaining issues to be decided.

The Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for various conditions have been dismissed.,An increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability has been primarily productive of painful motion, with no additional loss of flexion or extension during repetitive use testing. The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and right hip arthritis as the evidence is not persuasive that these conditions are related to active duty service.,Temporary total ratings for hospitalization and convalescence were also denied as there was no established service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to procedural errors and the need for additional medical opinions. The issues include psychiatric, lumbar spine, right knee, IBS, and abdominal pain disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including psychiatric disability, migraines, left shoulder and right shoulder disabilities, lumbar spine disability, tinnitus, hypertension, left knee disability, right foot disability, and right leg scar, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has found that the Veteran's left knee disability and acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression) are not service-connected. The case is being remanded for further examination to determine if there was any aggravation of these conditions during service.

The Veteran's vertigo and back disorder were not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology was not established. The Board denies these claims.,The Veteran's GERD is not secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability or related to an in-service injury or disease. The Board denies this claim.,The Veteran's headaches were not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. Continuity of symptomatology was not established, nor is there evidence linking the current condition to an in-service injury or disease. The Board denies this claim.,The Veteran's right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, right foot disorder, left foot disorder, right hand disorder, right hip disorder, and left hip disorder were not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. Continuity of symptomatology was not established, nor is there evidence linking the current conditions to an in-service injury or disease. The Board denies these claims.,The Veteran's right knee disorder and left knee disorder were not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. Continuity of symptomatology was not established, nor is there evidence linking the current conditions to an in-service injury or disease. The Board denies these claims.,The Veteran's neck disorder was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. Continuity of symptomatology was not established, nor is there evidence linking the current condition to an in-service injury or disease. The Board denies this claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gout of the bilateral feet, and bilateral foot and knee disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on in-service noise exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee degenerative joint disease (DJD) due to inadequate examination findings.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left knee strain was denied as the evidence did not show any limitation of motion or functional loss that would warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment during the appeal period, leading to a denial of his claim for total disability rating based upon individual unemployability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left knee disability was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal. The appeals for right shoulder and low back disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder due to a lack of evidence supporting such a relationship.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee, left ankle, bilateral foot, and headache disabilities. The reasons given were that there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his time in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck, back, hip, and knee disabilities due to service-connected pes planus. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding whether these conditions are related to service or secondary to his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development regarding his left knee degenerative joint disease and surgical scar.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability and remanded the issue of service connection for PTSD due to lack of evidence corroborating an in-service personal assault.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disability and remanded the issue of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted under the PACT Act. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.