Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of left knee and lumbar spine disorders as secondary to service-connected right knee instability and/or chondromalacia patella due to inadequate etiology opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current osteoarthritis of the left and right knees is related to his service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeals for his claims of entitlement to service connection for a cyst and/or benign growth of the bilateral knees, as well as his claims for initial disability ratings in excess of 20 percent for joint disease with baker's cyst of the right knee (claimed as bilateral knee pain with arthritis) and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for joint disease with baker's cyst of the left knee (claimed as bilateral knee pain with arthritis). The claims are being remanded due to a lack of adequate examination regarding the severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for an eye condition, right knee disability, and back disability are all remanded due to insufficient evidence. The eye condition claim was denied as there is no diagnosed eye condition other than refractive errors. Right knee and back disability claims require further examination and evaluation.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence supports the readjudication of claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, and neck disability.,The Board has also determined that new and relevant evidence supports the readjudication of claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, and neck disability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The issue of service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae has been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and a proper medical opinion.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied as there is no legal basis for such.,Service connection for gum disease was denied because it does not constitute a compensable disability for VA compensation purposes.,Claims for total disability ratings due to hospital treatment or observation and convalescence have been denied due to lack of evidence supporting the required periods of hospitalization or convalescence.,Spousal aid and attendance prior to October 22, 2018 was denied as there is no evidence that the Veteran's ex-spouse needed regular aid and attendance.,Service connection for peripheral vestibular disease (PVD) has been remanded due to a conclusory opinion from the VA examiner.,Claims for bilateral hearing loss have been remanded as the Veteran alleges worsening since his last examination in October 2017.,Claims for various ankle, elbow, hip, knee, and shoulder conditions have all been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee strain, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for ratings in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities due to additional evidence received after the appeal was certified to the Board. The TDIU claim is also being returned to the AOJ as it is intertwined with the increased rating claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastroesophageal reflux disorder, lumbosacral strain, and left knee disability due to incomplete records and inadequate examination reports. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bilateral knee conditions and service connection for bilateral ankle conditions have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot condition has been remanded due to uncertainty regarding the etiology of his current foot conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a bilateral knee disability, finding that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right-hand/wrist, left-hand/wrist, right-knee, and left-knee disabilities. The claims are based on the Veteran's reports of in-service symptoms and subsequent treatment.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 70 percent rating prior to December 13, 2022. The left knee disability and TDIU claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including limitation of flexion and instability, is rated at 10 percent effective April 10, 2018. The rating for extension remains noncompensable.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus, low back disability, and bilateral knee disability due to incomplete development of records. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed again.

The Board denied service connection for various ankle, knee, hip, migraine, and eye conditions. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to his active service.,The VA examiner provided medical opinions stating that the Veteran's diagnosed conditions are more likely due to normal aging or unrelated to service.

The Veteran's claims for right knee, respiratory, obstructive sleep apnea, skin cancer, migraine headache, lumbar spine, and right shoulder disabilities were denied. The claim for TDIU was also remanded.