Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as a sinus disability, are granted with an effective date of August 11, 2004. The appeal regarding the sinus disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the claim seeking a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD. The remaining claims for service connection and increased ratings were remanded.

The Veteran's right knee scars are currently rated at noncompensable under DC 7805. The Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted for the Veteran's right knee scars during any point of the appeal period.,The September 2018 VA medical opinion was inadequate as it did not address the secondary service connection claim. A remand is necessary to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his exposure to hazardous substances during his Persian Gulf War service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. The claims include CLL, a left ankle condition, and a right knee condition. Remand is necessary to obtain medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection due to herbicide agent exposure. The issues of hypertension, osteoporosis, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral hip disability are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition has been reopened. The Board finds the evidence sufficient to reopen the claim, but remands for further examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's current right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for pain radiating to the left buttocks and leg was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.,Claims for right foot, right knee, and left knee disabilities were reopened due to new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development on issues of service connection for psychiatric disability, cervical spine (neck) disability, right shoulder disability, and left ankle disability.,No effective date has been assigned as the claims are being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative changes of the cervical spine, right knee disability (instability and limitation of motion), right shoulder disability, left knee disability (painful motion), and ulcer, prevent him from maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his occupational experience.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, as his combined disability rating is at least 40% since March 9, 2009. The Board finds the Veteran may be unemployable due to his knee disability.

The Veteran's thoracolumbar degenerative joint disease with degenerative disc disease L4-S1 is granted a 40 percent rating, but no higher. The ratings for right knee osteoarthritis and left knee degenerative arthritis are remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence. The claims are now remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his low back, neck, left shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral foot conditions.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for right knee osteoarthritis and service connection for skin conditions other than carbuncle scars have been denied. The Board found that the current symptoms do not warrant an increased rating, and there is no evidence to support service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the reduction of disability ratings for right and left knee retropatellar pain syndrome was not proper, and has ordered remand to obtain additional evidence and a new examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for TBI residuals and a headache disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury. The Veteran's left knee disability is not related to service, nor caused by his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection for the Veteran's back disability remains remanded due to insufficient opinion regarding its relationship to service. Service connection for erectile dysfunction is also remanded as there was no opinion addressing whether it was aggravated by his service-connected prostatitis.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his right knee degenerative joint disease has been withdrawn by his representative.

The appeals for increased disability ratings for the back and related neurological issues (e.g. radiculopathy of the lower extremities) have been withdrawn and are dismissed.,The appeal for entitlement to a disability rating exceeding 10 percent for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity has been withdrawn and is dismissed.,The appeal for entitlement to a disability rating exceeding 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity has been withdrawn and is dismissed.,Entitlement to a disability rating of 50 percent (but no higher) for migraine headaches is granted.,New and material evidence having been received, the petition to reopen a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability is granted.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 10 percent, and the left knee disability is also rated at 10 percent. Both knees are affected by pain causing a reduction in physical activity.,Neither knee has objective evidence of limitation of extension or instability.