Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are granted as service-connected.,Arthritis is dismissed due to the Veteran clarifying he only claims arthritis of the knees, hips, and back.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee arthritis with total knee replacement on a presumptive basis due to continuous symptoms since service separation, resolving doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding range of motion measurements.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a disability manifested by fatigue (claimed as CFS), to include as due to an undiagnosed illness, is also being remanded. The VA needs to obtain clarification on whether the Veteran meets the diagnostic criteria for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and address the etiology of his fatigue.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of reopening and establishing service connection for left knee disability, back disability, bilateral hip disability, and right knee disability. The Board found that the Veteran's disabilities were incurred in his time in service due to jumping out of airplanes as a paratrooper.

The Veteran is granted earlier effective dates of June 4, 2018 for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities.,The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee and status post lumbar microdiscectomy are remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings have been dismissed as the Veteran requested to withdraw all pending appeals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating determinations due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his current disabilities and his military service. The issues include right hip, ankle, shoulder, wrist, and knee disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to April 22, 2017 due to a lack of evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for lumbar spine and left knee disabilities was granted. The Board also found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is service-connected, but remanded the issues of left knee disability (to include as secondary) and right index finger disability.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with its remand directives and has therefore ordered the Veteran's claims for sleep disturbances and joint pain, to include a bilateral knee condition, to be remanded for additional development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection of left and right knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record, particularly regarding the nature and etiology of his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a right knee condition are remanded due to the need for further examination and evidence collection.

The Veteran's right knee instability has been rated at 10 percent for the entire period on appeal. The Board found that the evidence does not warrant an increased rating under DC 5257 for instability of the right knee, as it is most consistent with a finding of slight instability.

The Veteran's appeal of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been withdrawn. The claims for service connection for a left knee disorder, right ankle disorder, and asthma have been reopened based on new evidence received since the August 1995 denial. Service connection is granted for degenerative joint disease of the left knee and asthma.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left knee disability is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability, and thus remands for a new VA medical opinion to address this issue.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, or duodenal ulcer. Sinusitis was granted on a presumptive basis, but the Veteran still does not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to January 29, 2019 and thereafter.,The Board also denied service connection for various conditions including bilateral pes planus, left foot hallux valgus, right foot hallux valgus, shoulder disabilities, heart disability, acquired psychiatric disability, upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, knee disability, low back disability, and neurological disabilities. The Veteran's claims were previously denied in 2016 but new evidence was submitted to reopen these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee patellar tendonitis due to new evidence not previously considered by the AOJ.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the current severity and manifestations of the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities, including considering the ameliorative effects of medication. The case will be remanded for a VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, scar from a lower lip laceration, tinnitus, and unspecified back disability. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or were related to in-service injuries or diseases.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee disability and osteoarthritis of the left knee due to a lack of recent VA examinations, which may have provided updated information on the severity of these conditions.