Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and secondary service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and evaluations to assess the severity of his service-connected coronary artery disease, surgical scars, left ankle disability, and left knee disorder. The issues are related to the evaluation and service connection aspects of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee and left shoulder disability, finding that these conditions are related to an in-service motor vehicle accident during INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between his active duty service and the current condition, nor does it meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to August 14, 2020.,Since August 14, 2020, the Veteran has received a 100% evaluation for PTSD and SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board has remanded several claims for service connection due to the Veteran's contentions and the time since his last examination. The hearing loss claim is remanded for a new VA examination, while the other claims are remanded for obtaining complete VA treatment records from the early 1990s to May 2008.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to insufficient examination findings and lack of consideration of the Veteran's reported symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorders due to insufficient medical opinion addressing all theories of etiology, including secondary service connection and post-service development over time. The AOJ is required to obtain a new VA addendum opinion and provide additional notice regarding alternative sources of evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss.

Service connection has been granted for allergic rhinitis.,The claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and left knee disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of various conditions, including lung abnormality and sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee disability, OSA, and ED due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, and tinnitus. The conditions are found to be related to active service.

The Veteran's request for a higher rating for his right knee disability was denied. The issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for nonsuppurative otitis media with right ear hearing loss was dismissed.,A temporary total evaluation based on convalescence following the Veteran's right knee surgery is granted, effective April 4, 2017.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's low back, right knee, neck, and right hand disabilities. This includes considering whether these conditions were aggravated by active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's left knee disability and his service-connected disabilities of the feet, metatarsalgia with plantar fasciitis of the left foot, tinea pedis, corporis and cruris, and back disability. The VA will provide a new opinion on these issues.

The Veteran's claim for a bilateral knee disability, including as secondary to a left ankle sprain, has been reopened and granted. The claim for sleep apnea has also been granted.,Evidence shows that the Veteran had symptoms of sleep apnea during service and was eventually diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea in 2013.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence. The hearing on his bilateral hearing loss claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are granted as service-connected, with a combined rating of 60% effective March 30, 2017. The TDIU claim prior to January 24, 2011 is denied.