Knee Board decisions

The Board has found pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors in the claims for service connection for various conditions and remanded these issues to obtain additional records, including a report of medical history from the Veteran's discharge examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a failure by the Regional Office to properly assist in developing his service connection claims, including obtaining relevant medical records and unit histories. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis based on a finding of chronic disease presumptive under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(b) due to continuity of symptoms since service separation.

The Veteran's right hip bursitis, right knee patellofemoral arthritis, and left ankle DJD/arthritis are all secondary to his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome with residuals of hemilaminectomy and diskectomy, lumbar spine with partial left foot drop. The Board has determined that remand is necessary for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's right hip bursitis, right knee patellofemoral arthritis, and left ankle DJD/arthritis.

The Veteran's Ramsay Hunt syndrome, left foot and ankle disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability were all denied. The Board found that the treatment provided by VA did not cause these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are inextricably intertwined with his claim for post op sarcoma of the right lower extremity. Therefore, these claims must be remanded to allow for a VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's post op sarcoma.

The Board has granted an increased disability rating of 60 percent for the service-connected left knee replacement from January 1, 2020.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including the one for left knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome. The appeal is dismissed as a result.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 20 percent rating for lumbar spine strain with degenerative arthritis is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a separate 20 percent rating for right knee based on instability since July 6, 2018 is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as patellofemoral pain syndrome with torn meniscus, is at least as likely as not related to her active duty service and granted her claim for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and the Veteran needs a new one to assess his left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as of January 6, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus, arteriosclerotic heart disease, and left knee disability have been granted. The hair disorder claim was denied. A 20% rating for the left knee based on limitation of flexion is granted, effective from December 17, 2019.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current knee disabilities are related to his in-service injuries.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis. The claims for bilateral ankle condition and bilateral flat feet and plantar fasciitis are remanded due to procedural errors in the VA examination opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding the onset of the Veteran's migraines and their recurrent symptoms since his first period of active service, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Veteran's hypercholesterolemia is not a disability for VA purposes, and there is no evidence of current hemorrhoids or bilateral shin splints.,Pending determinations on the right foot condition, gout, conjunctivitis of the right eye, facial injury, migraine headaches, left ankle condition, obstructive sleep apnea, and left knee condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective date determinations are being remanded due to the submission of additional evidence not previously considered by the RO.

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial disability ratings in several conditions have been dismissed as the Veteran has withdrawn all his pending appeals.