Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate to decide the service connection claims for right knee disability and left elbow strain. The Veteran's reports of in-service injuries, including a truck rollover incident, have not been adequately addressed by the VA examiners. Therefore, remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, as well as bilateral knee conditions, have been dismissed due to the grant of these claims in an August 2021 rating decision. The appeal for service connection for a left knee condition and a right knee condition is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective April 3, 2017. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee strain is directly related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination and medical opinion, as required by 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(c)(4).

The appeal is granted for service connection of PTSD, extraction of 4 wisdom teeth, fractured rib, left ankle pain, left knee pain, left wrist pain, refractive eye surgery, and right shoulder bursitis. The appeals of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and entitlement to service connection for right shoulder bursitis are dismissed as moot.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence regarding a current diagnosis of GERD has been submitted, warranting readjudication of the claim for service connection. The claims for low back disability, right knee disability, and sleep apnea are not warranted for readjudication as no new and relevant evidence has been provided.

The appellant withdrew his appeal for right knee osteoarthritis, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings of his right shoulder, left hip, and left knee disabilities. The Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities preventing him from maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee degenerative changes and migraine headaches are being remanded due to inadequate examinations. The case must be returned to the AOJ for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudicating the previously denied claim of service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease. The Veteran's right shoulder replacement is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error, and his right knee degenerative joint disease is also remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and is remanding the claims of entitlement to service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted total disability due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected left and right knee degenerative arthritis status post arthroscopies are being remanded due to a failure to consider the evidence of record regarding pain with weight-bearing.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected bilateral hearing loss warranted a compensable rating.,The Board found that the Veteran's right and left shoulder tendonitis, and right and left knee osteoarthritis are related to service, including the March 2009 fall during military training.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, indicating he no longer wished to pursue the claims for service connection and rating determinations related to right lumbar radiculopathy, left lumbar radiculopathy, IBS, a lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle, right knee, and left knee conditions are etiologically related to service.,Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's low back, right knee, left knee, right shoulder, and left shoulder conditions are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's psychiatric condition (including PTSD, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder) and hypertension are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is remanded for further development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition, finding that her current disability is due to an in-service injury and there is no conflicting medical evidence. The Board considered all relevant evidence, including lay statements and VA examination reports, and determined that the Veteran's symptoms are consistent with her military service.