Knee decisions — 2022

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

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional STRs and clinical records related to his right thigh gunshot wound. The claim will be reconsidered with this information.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's sleep apnea does not meet the criteria for a higher than 50 percent rating as it does not result in chronic respiratory failure or require a tracheostomy.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to evaluate the Veteran's right knee disability, including instability and meniscal tear. The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA opinion, and a new medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability is related to his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee replacement was due to his service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and thus grants a temporary total evaluation under 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 based on the need for convalescence following the December 2015 surgery.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee condition due to lack of evidence of current disability during or contemporary to the appeal period. The claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, sleep apnea, and hypertension are remanded as additional development is needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left hip disability and right knee disability, as well as his TDIU claim due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to assess the severity of his disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's right knee disability is related to service or any other condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to incomplete opinions and lack of medical records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and right knee conditions, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and his active military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to outstanding private treatment records and missing VA Forms 21-4142a. The Veteran is required to submit a completed VA Form 21-4142a, and all available medical records must be obtained.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, lung disability (pleural plaques), and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD).

The Veteran's right forearm disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The claim for increased ratings for left and right knee conditions, including instability and limitation of extension, is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected right knee condition, finding that there is no evidence of unemployability since May 2014.

The Board has identified several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims and remands them for further development. The Veteran is not seeking a rating increase or reopening of his hearing loss claim, but rather requests that his case be reviewed by the AOJ with the additional evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability (including as secondary to the back disability), and right foot drop are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee disability was denied, and the Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding his employability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee arthritis. The claim for service connection of bilateral hip disability is remanded due to inadequate prior medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the submission of new and material evidence. The issues remain unresolved.