Knee decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee meniscal tear and DJD, as well as left hip iliopsoas tendonitis and degenerative arthritis, have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his service-connected right knee condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot, left knee, right foot, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for chronic tinea pedis and bilateral knee disability due to a lack of VA examination or medical opinion linking these conditions to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee tendinitis and left knee tendinitis were denied. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent, from May 2, 2014 to October 16, 2015, for right ankle tendinitis and strain was also denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for a respiratory condition, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee osteoarthritis, and left knee disability. Additional records are needed from SSA, VA treatment records, private doctors, and exposure confirmation. A new medical opinion is required to consider the Veteran's reports of continuous symptoms since service and his current disability picture.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, as well as a right knee disability secondary to a left knee disability. The claims were reopened due to new evidence received since the last final denial.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to outstanding private treatment records and the need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for right knee disorder, left shoulder strain, bilateral pes planus, and left foot hallux valgus have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to greater than 50 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder, service connection for alcohol abuse, hypertension secondary to psychiatric disorder, and degenerative joint disease of ankles.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and additional evidence needed.

The Veteran's appeals for COPD, bilateral shoulder conditions, Peyronie's disease, skin cancer, right heel disability, peripheral artery disease of the bilateral lower extremities, entitlement to a compensable rating for residuals of a rib fracture, and earlier effective date prior to February 28, 2013 for the award of service connection for a rib fracture residual were dismissed. The Veteran's esophageal stricture was granted with a 50% disability rating. Service connection for coronary artery disease, osteoarthritis of the right wrist, and bilateral knees was also granted.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to assess the current severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability, including evaluating any functional loss due to flare-ups or repetitive use. The issues are remanded pending resolution of these matters.

The Board dismissed all appeals for increased ratings and effective date claims related to various conditions, including cervical spine, left upper extremity radiculopathy, posttraumatic degenerative changes of the right ankle, right shoulder rotator cuff strain/tendonitis, degenerative changes of the left knee, degenerative changes of the right knee, sciatic nerve radiculopathies in both lower extremities, and femoral nerve radiculopathy.

The Board has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to grant service connection for the claimed conditions, and thus remands are ordered for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, but the Board has not determined whether he is unemployable due to his hearing loss or tinnitus. The case is remanded for further examination and consideration of these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from April 30, 2009 to August 9, 2009.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected back disability. The VA examiner needs to provide a clear and separate opinion on both causation and aggravation.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and left and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy have been granted. The claim for right hand arthritis is remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing secondary service connection.

The Board has vacated portions of its June 2021 decision that addressed the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating issues related to his hip and knee disabilities. The remaining decisions are unaffected.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD, tinnitus, left knee impairment, and right knee impairment is granted. The claims for left and right knee impairments are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and initial evaluations in several conditions due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the appeal.