Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee and low back disabilities due to insufficient development in previous decisions. The case will be reviewed with additional medical opinions to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of sleep apnea and left knee disability for additional development, including obtaining new medical opinions that use the correct standard of 'aggravated beyond its natural progression by' a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee disorder, specifically her exposure to a chemical weapons leak while serving in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's claims for right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and left knee disability have been reopened. The claim of service connection for penis deformity has been denied.,An effective date of January 11, 2017, but no earlier, has been granted for the assignment of a 70 percent rating for unspecified anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded several service connection and rating issues due to the need for additional evidence or examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection under Chapter 17 of the VA benefits are being remanded due to procedural issues and the need for additional development, including medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining a VA examination to address whether the Veteran's bilateral wrist disability and right knee disability are related to his service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities and left hip disability are related to his service-connected conditions, including bilateral pes planus. The nose disability is not related to service, but the sleep apnea and right ankle disability may be secondary to service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's right ankle disability is not related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy was denied prior to July 22, 2019. A 20 percent disability rating is granted beginning from that date.,A non-compensable rating for the right knee surgical scar remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left knee disorder, and low back disorder due to the need for additional development. Specifically, addendum opinions are needed regarding whether these conditions are at least as likely as not related to active-duty service, including considering the Veteran's weight/BMI during service and his toxic exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete or inaccurate factual premises in previous opinions. The Veteran's right knee and toenail disorders are being reviewed again to determine their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claim for a bilateral knee disability due to additional development, including obtaining National Guard service records and medical opinions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The issues of bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left knee disability, cervical spine disability, and thoracolumbar spine disability are remanded for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition, neck condition, and migraines as new and material evidence was not received to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an effective date of May 5, 1998, for the award of a separate rating for right knee surgical scars is granted. The remaining issues are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has determined that more contemporaneous VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right and left ankle, right foot, and right knee disabilities due to a lack of relevant medical records from the last five years.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee injury, scar from left knee surgery, pain in buttocks from surgery, and MRSA due to lack of qualifying service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right knee condition and bilateral pes planus (claimed as bilateral foot condition) due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which he contends are secondary to his service-connected ankle osteoarthritis.