Knee Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew her claims for right hip, left hip, and right knee pain from appellate consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease, finding that it is proximately due to her service-connected right knee disorder.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the appeal for a compensable rating is denied.,Service connection for right knee disorder is denied due to lack of evidence showing an injury or disease during active duty for training.

The Board has restored the Veteran's disability rating for recurrent left knee subluxation from 20 percent to full (100%) effective April 1, 2021. The reduction was improper due to lack of evidence showing improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Veteran's right hand/fingers condition is granted service connection as it resulted in functional impairment. The Veteran's headaches and patellofemoral pain syndrome (knee) are denied service connection due to lack of a link to service.

The Board has denied the readjudication of claims for service connection for various knee, shoulder, ankle, and lumbar spine disabilities as no new and relevant evidence was received to reopen these claims.

Service connection for persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted.,The issue of service connection for sinusitis is dismissed as moot due to the VA RO's independent grant prior to the Board decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and exposure basis issues. The appeals are not related to service connection.

The Veteran withdrew all issues on appeal during his hearing, indicating satisfaction with his current benefits.

The appeal for service connection for tinnitus is dismissed. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include anxiety and depression) are remanded.

The Veteran's hepatitis C has been evaluated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted.,The Veteran's left knee disability was previously rated at 30 percent, but the Board now finds that an updated VA examination is necessary to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee, right knee, and lumbar disability have been granted. The Board found that new evidence supported reopening these previously denied claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss and foot/knee disabilities, were denied as there was no current disability or evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran is granted an annual clothing allowance for the 2023 calendar year due to wear and tear on his pants caused by a left knee brace used for his service-connected left knee strain.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA opinions and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not precluded substantially gainful employment, and he has not been in receipt of a total rating or identified a permanent and total disability. The Board denied the TDIU and permanent and total evaluation claims as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone were sufficient to produce unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current disability (bilateral hearing loss), in-service noise exposure, and a nexus between his current condition and his military service. Service connection for left knee disability is remanded as further development is needed to determine its etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine DDD, secondary to left knee patellofemoral syndrome. The decision is based on the Veteran's claim of a causal relationship between his service-connected left knee condition and his current lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that there is new and relevant evidence to reopen the claims for left knee disability and right ankle disability. The Veteran's left knee disability is granted, but his right ankle disability requires further examination and review.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in calculating the overpayment of VA pension, specifically regarding the dates when the Veteran and his wife were living together. The AOJ needs to re-evaluate the calculation of the debt with consideration of the statements made by both the Veteran and the appellant.