Knee decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for viral hepatitis, right knee disability, right ankle disability, asthma, or cervical spine disability. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and examinations.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a left kidney disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, and right knee disability have been dismissed.,New and material evidence has been presented to reopen claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, erectile dysfunction, and psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection.,Service connection for hypertension is denied as the evidence does not show it began during or within one year of separation from service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as right and left hip disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's knee and hip conditions are being evaluated again by VA examiners.

The Veteran's service connection for a right foot disability, identified as right flatfoot, is granted. The Board also remanded several issues including the increased rating for GAD and the effective date of service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities, as well as his lumbar disability. The cases are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder and left knee strain are being remanded for additional development as the current evaluations do not reflect the severity of his conditions.

The Board has decided to remand all the Veteran's claims due to incomplete service treatment records and requests for new examinations or medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee degenerative joint disease, finding that the conditions were shown as chronic in service and are attributable to intercurrent causes.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and incomplete development of records. The Veteran's chronic sinusitis is granted, but her other musculoskeletal disabilities are not related to military service.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability and a right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support an in-service disease or injury related to these conditions.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 50% effective March 23, 2017. The Veteran's patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee is currently rated at 10%. The Board denied a TDIU claim.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left hip condition, finding that his symptoms began during service and have persisted since. The Veteran's left knee condition is not considered secondary to his right knee condition.,The Veteran's left knee condition was found to be unrelated to his service-connected right knee arthritis.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings on her right and left knee conditions, as well as her PTSD, have been dismissed. She has also received a 70 percent rating for PTSD with an earlier effective date of January 20, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted for bilateral foot disability, right knee disability, sleep apnea, headaches, and hearing loss. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD remains pending.

The Board denied a rating greater than 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability and granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability. The evidence did not support higher ratings based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for fibromyalgia and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome due to insufficient evidence in the record.,An effective date prior to September 30, 2017, is denied as there was no valid claim received by VA prior to that date.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain missing service treatment records and verify the Veteran's military service. The Veteran's left knee disability will also be examined by a VA examiner.

The Veteran's right hand, bilateral hip, and bilateral foot disabilities are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral chondromalacia is granted as service-connected.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's service connection appeals for left knee and neck disabilities. The Board has also granted service connection for a lumbar disability, but dismissed the appeal for right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the lumbar disability.