Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle conditions. Additionally, the TDIU claim is also being remanded due to the need for further development regarding service connection for residuals of lipoma excisions on various body parts.

The Board has dismissed all claims as the Veteran died during the appeal process and no eligible parties have been substituted in the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and therefore denied his claim for TDIU. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a left foot disability as secondary to service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's left knee disorder and his active service.

The Board has remanded the appellant's claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error regarding his character of discharge. The issues are inextricably intertwined and require further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that his preexisting left knee disability was aggravated during service and a contributory cause of his death.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have more nearly approximated the criteria for occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas since June 5, 2020.,From June 17, 2019, multiple service-connected disabilities rendered the Veteran unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal to restore a 30% rating for service-connected knee conditions has been withdrawn by her representative.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected due to noise exposure during active duty.,The right knee disability and low back disability are remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and medical opinion.,The sciatic radicular pain of the right leg is also remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations of his left knee disability, as well as DDD of the lumbar spine. The reasons include the need to consider whether a service-connected disability caused or aggravated obesity, which in turn affected the Veteran's left knee disability. Additionally, a retrospective examination is needed to assess the severity and progression of the Veteran's DDD during the periods on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for both the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that there was insufficient evidence to support a link between his current conditions and his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee degenerative joint disease (instability) and limitation of flexion are being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ must provide the Veteran with an opportunity to report for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his left knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for prostate cancer due to a lack of relevant medical records. The Veteran's other claims for knee and peripheral neuropathy disabilities are granted based on new evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, left hip disability, left shoulder disability, and right knee disability due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance is due to service-connected disabilities, leading to the grant of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. The issue of entitlement to SMC by reason of being housebound is dismissed as moot.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and readjudicated the low back disability claim. The Veteran's current degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is found to be related to his service-connected left great toe and ankle disability.,Service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is granted as secondary to a service-connected condition (left great toe and ankle).

The Board has decided to remand the claims for prostate cancer, PTSD, hypothyroidism, tremors, and a bilateral knee disorder due to their connection with issues pending before the RO. The appellant's claims for accrued benefits and service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death will be reconsidered once these intertwined issues are resolved.

The Board has dismissed the appeals as to tinnitus, low back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection due to deficiencies in previous examination reports and failure to evaluate certain disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, tinnitus, squamous cell carcinoma of the soft palate and tongue, and left shoulder osteoarthritis and impingement syndrome have been readjudicated. The claims for left knee disability and left shoulder osteoarthritis and impingement syndrome are granted, while those for thoracolumbar spine disability, tinnitus, and squamous cell carcinoma of the soft palate and tongue remain denied.