Knee Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year of separation from service. The Board also found that the Veteran did not provide credible testimony regarding his in-service injury and subsequent symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically regarding the failure to notify the Veteran of records not received from Dr. Anastasia and Monmouth Medical Center.

The Board has determined that the VA examination provided in April 2020 is inadequate and requires further review to determine if the Veteran's left knee condition had its onset during active service or is otherwise related to active service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities, back disability, and right wrist disability due to errors in duty to assist. The Veteran's lay testimony regarding onset during service and continuity of symptomatology since service is considered.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for instability in both knees due to a lack of consideration of certain evidence and potential VA medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to back, hip, knee, and foot disorders should be remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are related to service or caused by other service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for left knee, right knee, back, and right shoulder disorders due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.,Service records are unavailable, but the Veteran served as a Power Generation Equipment Repairer. The VA examiners found no in-service onset or chronicity of any musculoskeletal disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development and clarification of his service-connected knee and shoulder conditions, including a determination on whether his left shoulder condition is secondary to his right shoulder condition.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder disability, left knee disability, hepatitis C, and neck pain, status post cervical spine anterior fusion at C5-6. The claims were remanded due to new evidence received after the June 2017 rating decision.,Service connection is established for right shoulder disability, left knee disability, hepatitis C, and neck pain, status post cervical spine anterior fusion at C5-6.

The Veteran's left knee disability is found to be related to his active service. The Board granted the claim for service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to June 26, 2009 for the award of Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The Board found that there were no pending increased rating claims for service-connected disabilities prior to June 26, 2009. As a result, TDIU was granted effective March 4, 2015, which is the earliest date entitlement arose.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding the adequacy of VA examinations conducted in December 2018 and October 2019. The Veteran needs to be scheduled for another VA examination to address his right knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, a thoracolumbar spine disability (lumbar strain), left knee disability, and right knee disability. The conditions are deemed to be directly related to the veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claim for SMC is granted, effective February 1, 2021. The decision is based on the combination of his service-connected PTSD and other disabilities that independently rate at least 60 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for memory loss and CFS due to undiagnosed conditions are granted based on new evidence showing a nexus to Gulf War exposure.,The Veteran's claims for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, bilateral tinnitus, fibromyalgia, CFS, and muscle and joint pain are denied.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions are inadequate, particularly in relation to the nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and his service. The claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions and to ensure compliance with the duty to assist.

The Board has remanded the claims for right hand, left hand, right knee, and left knee degenerative arthritis due to inadequate medical opinions from a previous VA examination. The Veteran is advised that she should submit any additional evidence supporting her in-service experiences as the etiology of her claimed conditions.

The Veteran's left knee condition is rated at a 10 percent rating for limitation of extension, effective from the date of this decision.,A separate 10 percent rating has been granted for a painful scar on the left knee.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for her left knee condition, finding that there is no probative evidence showing a chronic left knee condition was incurred during service.

The Veteran's cervical spine condition, lumbar spine condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy and right knee condition are all granted. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied.