Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that new evidence had not been submitted to reopen his tinnitus claim, but remanded other issues including depression, lower extremity radiculopathy, shoulder disabilities, knee disabilities, lumbar spine disability, neck disability, hip disabilities, irritable colon syndrome, and bladder disability.

The Board denied service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, ischemic heart disease, and residuals of traumatic brain injury due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service.,There was no credible evidence of herbicide exposure or POW status in North Korea.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and left foot disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder, bilateral wrist, and bilateral knee disorders due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran testified about his in-service symptoms and self-medication practices.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to issues with contacting him, including incarceration and homelessness. The RO is instructed to attempt to verify his current address and schedule examinations.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to various conditions, and the Board has determined that additional evidence must be considered before a final decision can be made.

The Board has remanded the claims for a temporary total evaluation for left knee procedures, service connection for right and left knee disabilities other than arthritis, due to inadequate medical opinions in the previous VA examinations. The Veteran's claim will be further evaluated with new evidence and opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbar spine, bilateral knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle disorders due to insufficient development in prior remands.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for IBS was granted with an effective date of November 25, 2017.,Her claim to reopen her service connection for headaches was granted. The Board found that new and material evidence had been received and the claim could be reopened.

The Board has granted presumptive service connection for hypertension due to exposure to herbicide agents under the PACT Act. Service connection for chronic kidney disease is also granted as secondary to now service-connected hypertension. The right knee disability, diverticulitis, and Barrett's esophagus are all remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder and its relationship to service, as well as secondary service connection for thoracolumbar spine strain with degenerative changes and cervical strain with degenerative changes.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, right knee disability, and left knee disability. Service connection was granted for microcytic anemia.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee and hip conditions were denied. The Board found that the current disability ratings adequately reflected the severity of the Veteran's symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his right knee disability was denied as the evidence did not show any findings of ankylosis, recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, dislocation or symptomatic removal of the semilunar cartilage, tibial or fibular impairment, genu recurvatum, extension limited to 10 degrees or more, flexion limited to 45 degrees or less, or functional equivalent thereof.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left and right knees were denied as his knee conditions do not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.,Service connection was also denied for both left and right ankle disabilities, with the Board concluding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or chronic condition related to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for patellofemoral pain syndrome of the knee (left knee disability) as secondary to service-connected tendonitis of the left ankle, residual of left ankle fracture avulsion (left ankle disability). The issue of a rating higher than 10 percent for a left ankle disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of VA examination for left knee instability, and instructed that a new examination be scheduled.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is granted based on the PACT Act, effective August 10, 2022. The Veteran also received Individual Unemployability benefits as of March 7, 2019.

The Board has dismissed all appeals regarding service connection for various conditions, including right and left knee disorders, sleep apnea, and PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and left hip disability were denied as they are not related to his active duty service.,Service connection for neurological symptoms of the left lower extremity, including neuropathy and radiculopathy, was also denied.