Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for neck and back disabilities, but denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected erectile dysfunction is granted as secondary to his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder. The initial rating for right knee strain with meniscal tear, status post partial meniscectomy, remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee osteoarthritis, left and right shoulder impingement syndrome, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy in the right lower extremity, femoral nerve radiculopathy, and right hip trochanteric syndrome with osteoarthritis, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. As such, he is granted TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the current 10 percent ratings. Separate 10 percent ratings were granted for instability of each knee.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection of back condition and right knee disorder before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disability, finding that his condition was incurred in service and is related to his active duty.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back disability, neck disability, left knee disability, psychiatric disability, skin disability, respiratory disability (to include asbestosis), tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence did not meet the regulatory threshold for these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from June 7, 2017, to May 17, 2018.

The Board has determined that there are outstanding records of VA treatment that should be obtained and added to the claims file. The Veteran's complete and updated records of VA treatment should be requested and associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied, and the Board found no basis to assign an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete VA examination reports and outstanding treatment records.

The Board has denied service connection for low back and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the current conditions are not related to military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the ratings and service connection for various disabilities, including back disability, bowel incontinence, left foot disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left hip disability, and right hip disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and SMC due to loss of use of his feet, as these matters are inextricably intertwined with his claims for service connection for his back and bilateral nerve and foot disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left epicondylitis, as well as right and left knee degenerative joint disease. The Veteran's carpal tunnel syndrome of the wrists and cubital tunnel syndrome of the elbows are remanded for additional medical opinion.

The case is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining outstanding treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including low back pain, neck strain, shoulder strain, hip and knee issues. The reasons include lack of documentation during service, reports of chronic symptoms originating in service, and poor training conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for COPD, OSA, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, CAD, and hypertension are all granted.,Service connection is also granted for right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, and left knee residuals are being remanded for further development of the claims.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee osteoarthritis on a secondary basis to the left knee osteoarthritis, finding that the left knee disability caused or worsened the right knee disability.