Knee Board decisions

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of epididymitis and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The remaining issues are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right hip condition, bilateral foot condition, and right knee condition due to lack of medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee and shoulder conditions due to insufficient development of evidence, including inadequate opinions from VA examiners. The issues are currently pending further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as incomplete or inadequate examination reports. The issues include service connection for various upper extremity neurological disorders, a right shoulder disorder, a lumbar spine disorder, breast reduction, and a cervical disorder (claimed as cancerous tissue).

The Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, sinusitis, respiratory disability, restless leg syndrome, right wrist and knee disabilities, cardiac disability, lumbar spine disability, fibromyalgia, hand tremors, headache, fatigue, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for these conditions due to lack of current diagnoses or causal links.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance for a left knee brace in 2018 should be remanded to allow the AOJ to consider additional evidence, including a September 2017 VA treatment record indicating a new knee brace.

The Veteran's left knee disability, which includes posterolateral ligament reconstruction and osteoarthritis, is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board found that the current evaluation does not meet the criteria for an increased rating as there are no findings of actual or functional flexion limited to 15 degrees or less; actual or functional extension limited to 10 degrees or greater; a meniscus condition or removal of semilunar cartilage; ankylosis; or genu recurvatum.

The appeal for service connection of bilateral pes planus is granted. The appeal for service connection of a right knee condition is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen her claims for service connection for right knee disability, PTSD, sleep apnea, and GERD. The claims are now considered de novo.

The Veteran's left knee instability and chondromalacia have been rated at 10 percent each, but no more. The Board denied higher ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development due to incomplete VA examinations and insufficient information regarding the severity of the Veteran's conditions during the relevant time periods.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for left and right knee disabilities are dismissed because service connection has been granted. The claims for left wrist, low back, and left foot disabilities remain denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of chronicity during service or after service to support a nexus between his current condition and military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The issues of service connection for lumbar spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, hypertension, heart disease (including high cholesterol), gastroesophageal disorder, headache disorder, and respiratory disorder have been remanded.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia have also been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active duty service.

The reduction of the rating for service-connected lumbar disability from 40 percent to 20 percent was improper, and the Veteran's 40 percent rating is restored.

The Veteran's appeal of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction has been withdrawn.,The Board has remanded the issues of initial increased (compensable) rating for left hip degenerative arthritis, service connection for chronic back pain, and service connection for right knee and left knee chronic pain.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are granted as service connected. The Veteran is also remanded for a new VA examination to assess his radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and TDIU entitlement is inferred.