Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus (DM2). The issues of left knee strain, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and sleep apnea are remanded due to insufficient development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding private treatment records and the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's left and right shin splints have been granted service connection, with a 10% evaluation.,The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection. However, the increased evaluations for both shin splints and the knee disabilities are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disorder. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a left knee disorder, including degenerative joint disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of onset or relationship to service.,Specifically, the Board determined that the Veteran did not have a right shoulder disability in service and that any current right shoulder disability is more likely due to aging. For the left knee, the Board found no indication of onset during service and concluded that the current condition is more likely related to post-service injury.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all listed conditions, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, right knee PFS, left knee PFS, right foot plantar fasciitis with heel spurs, and left foot plantar fasciitis with heel spurs have been granted. The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims for neck disorder, headaches, and PTSD for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity varicosities, right knee disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability are being remanded for further development.,Specifically, the issues of service connection for these conditions will be addressed.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claims for right shoulder, left shoulder, and left knee conditions has been granted. The claims for these conditions are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation until his retirement in December 2018 due to health issues and 'life in general'.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated based on their current manifestations, with the highest ratings for her bilateral knee limitations of extension. The TDIU has also been granted effective October 4, 2021.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability and a bilateral foot disability (to include plantar fasciitis) based on continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding no evidence of chronic conditions in service or otherwise related to service. Service connection was also not granted for a left shoulder disability due to the need for an addendum opinion.

The Veteran's thoracic strain, headaches, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left elbow disability, right elbow disability, left hand disability, right hand disability, and left knee disability are granted. The Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome, gastrointestinal disability, respiratory disability, and heart disability (BAV disease) are denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions and incomplete service treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for thoracolumbar spine disability and degenerative joint disease of the left knee are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The cases will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic tuberculosis (TB) was denied due to lack of a clinical diagnosis. New and material evidence has not been received since the last final denial.,Service connection for a back disability is reopened based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran, but the Board finds that there is no competent medical evidence linking the current disability to service or any other condition. The claim remains denied.,The effective date for service connection for bilateral hearing loss cannot be earlier than January 14, 2016, as the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability for VA purposes prior to that date.,Further development is needed on the issues of right knee disability, left knee disability, sinus disability, and obstructive sleep apnea due to lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to service or any other condition.,The issue of skin cysts remains remanded as there is insufficient information regarding its onset in service.

The Board dismissed the appeal of all issues related to service connection for various conditions, as the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of current disability or in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee condition, finding that there was no evidence to support the claim and that the preponderance of the evidence did not support the Veteran's contention.