Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD; residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI); right knee disability; and tinnitus have all been denied.,There is no evidence linking the claimed conditions to service or any in-service stressors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a bilateral knee disability have been reopened. The Board has ordered remand for further development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations to address the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral pes planus, right knee disability, left knee disability, and right hip disability) prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and right ankle disabilities, as well as his TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities. The VA examinations conducted in November 2021 did not provide sufficient information regarding the Veteran's flare-ups, which is required by Sharp v. Shulkin (29 Vet. App. 26).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and left wrist disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide records from any providers who treated him since July 2017, and all VA treatment records are also requested.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his left knee condition, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected left knee disorder causes or aggravates his right knee disorder. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to provide this necessary information.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that further development is needed to determine if any of his knee or foot disabilities are related to service.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the remand requests and has therefore remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records, scheduling a VA examination, and adjudicating the claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to Gulf War illness for additional examinations and opinions regarding his claimed conditions, including genetic autoimmune disorders, joint pain, uveitis, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and need for a new examination to consider secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, left knee, chronic headache, and left shoulder disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions began during or were related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for back, right knee, and neck disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service. The Board found that any current chronic conditions are more likely related to aging or obesity rather than in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and requests for additional evidence. The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis is being reviewed again for a rating determination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to address service connection claims for a right knee disability, a headache disability, and an increased rating for PTSD. The Veteran's reports of symptoms will be considered in determining the etiology and pathophysiology of his disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities had their onset in service or are related to any incident therein, including his duties as a mechanic and lifting heavy equipment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and sustaining a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 27, 2005.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to July 13, 2016, finding that his conditions did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the need for additional STRs and private medical records related to the Veteran's conditions.