Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and right hand disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions in the prior VA examinations. Further development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and right knee disabilities were initially denied, but new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen these claims. The Board finds that the reopened claims are granted. However, the claims for service connection remain on remand due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and aggravation of the conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted on a direct basis. The Board found that the probative evidence supported the claim, as there is enough epidemiological evidence to support a positive association between in-service herbicide agent exposure and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine and right knee disorders require additional medical examination to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and his need for aid and attendance or housebound status was also denied due to the lack of evidence linking his disabilities to his service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee, right knee, and bilateral foot disabilities due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left knee condition is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee patellar chondritis. The VA must obtain a new opinion addressing these issues.

The claim for service connection of a left knee disability is reopened and the case is remanded to determine if it is related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but has remanded the issue of service connection for left knee disability due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current left knee disability is aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee instability, degenerative disk disease of the lumbosacral spine, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of October 29, 2021.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the increased rating for asthma and the service connection for a right knee disability. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his right knee arthritis, instability, and scars are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee conditions, which are claimed as secondary to his service-connected low back disorder. The decision is pending further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Appellant's income and medical expenses to determine her eligibility for death pension benefits, as well as to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicides and ionizing radiation during service. Additionally, a VA medical opinion is needed to address the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right groin disability and a right knee disability, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for an updated examination of his right knee disability, which has worsened since the last evaluation in December 2017. The issues remaining on appeal are entitlement to a rating greater than 10 percent for the service-connected right knee disability and reopening service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board denied service connection for left knee and low back disabilities, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not caused or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral knee, shoulder, and wrist disabilities has been granted.,Service connection is denied for a left wrist disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his right knee disability due to inadequate retrospective medical opinion and need for a new VA examination. The Veteran also raised issues regarding dependents' eligibility for benefits during the appeal period.