Knee Board decisions

The Board denied service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for the Veteran's cervical spine, right shoulder, and right knee disabilities due to VA treatment in July 2009. The Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and active service or VA treatment.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disorder is reopened and granted. The claims for residuals of TBI, bilateral eye disorder, lumbar spine disorder, bilateral hip disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and bilateral foot disorder are denied. Service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral shoulder disorder, MDD, and hypertension are also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities due to inadequate medical examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the receipt of new and material evidence. The issues of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin condition, and right shoulder and left knee disabilities are being addressed.

The Veteran's requests to reopen claims for service connection for right and left knee DJD were denied. The appeals for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, a rating in excess of 50 percent for OSA, and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded due to incomplete medical records. The VA will obtain all the missing treatment records and then readjudicate the claims.

The Board has dismissed the claim for tinea pedis as moot and granted service connection for varicose veins of the right leg. The remaining claims, including those for a right forearm disability and left knee strain, are remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims for service connection can be adjudicated on the merits. The Veteran's sleep apnea claim, hypertension claim, erectile dysfunction claim, lower back condition claim, migraine headaches claim, right knee condition claim, and left knee condition claim are all being remanded.

The Veteran's SMC at the housebound rate is granted from May 1, 2011 to August 12, 2022 due to having a single service-connected disability rated as 100 percent and other disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are rated at the maximum allowable under current rating criteria, with no evidence of additional limitation or instability warranting higher ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as OSA secondary to PTSD. Service connection is denied for memory loss.,Service connection was established based on chronic in-service symptoms that have persisted post-service.

The Board has granted service connection for left ankle degenerative arthritis, left leg tibia and fibula malunion with degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine spondylosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis and DDD with neural impingement at the C6-C7 disc, and right shoulder tendonitis and arthritis.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for the residuals of a stroke and entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,High cholesterol is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes and thus, the claim for this condition is denied.,The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, right eye disability, and heart disability to obtain medical opinions regarding their etiology.,The Veteran's PTSD remains at a 30 percent rating. The claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent is remanded as the SOC has not yet been issued.,All other claims are remanded.

The Board has found errors in obtaining the Veteran's VA treatment records from Hinesville, Georgia and ordered additional development to obtain these records. The claims for PTSD rating, knee disabilities, effective date, and TDIU are all remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's right knee joint osteoarthritis and right hip strain are granted service connection as they were incurred during active duty.,The Veteran's heart palpitations are not found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's previously denied claims for skin rash, headaches, bilateral knee disabilities, and plantar fasciitis have been denied. The request to reopen these claims has been granted.,The Veteran's previously denied claim for sleep apnea has been reopened and is now considered granted. The previously denied claim for hypertension has also been reopened and is now considered granted.

The petition to reopen claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, an acquired psychiatric disability, and left below knee amputation with left hip avascular necrosis is granted. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his right knee disability and a TDIU prior to December 10, 2012 due to incomplete VA examinations and conflicting medical opinions.