Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's use of chlorhexidine gluconate, an antiseptic skin cleanser, caused irreparable damage to his outer garments during the Year 2018. The Board granted a clothing allowance for this period.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, both status post arthroplasty, were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected left femur, left knee, left ankle, left leg shortening, and back disabilities. The VA examiner should provide a full description of the Veteran's disabilities and report all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating the Veteran's disabilities, including under the rating criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee replacement and left knee disability, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or event associated with these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for gastritis, mental condition (presumably PTSD or similar), migraine headaches, nausea associated with gastritis, and low back disability have been dismissed. The claim for right shoulder disability based on arm limitation of motion prior to July 18, 2016, has also been dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection, except for a grant of entitlement to a separate compensable evaluation for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for low back, right ankle, right shoulder, and knee disabilities are remanded due to inadequate nexus opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to potential Agent Orange exposure, and a TERA-specific examination is required. The examiner must consider total potential exposure through all applicable military deployments and the synergistic, combined effect of all toxic risk activities.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss, right knee condition prior to July 23, 2015, and left knee condition prior to July 23, 2015 were all denied. The Veteran's right knee condition after July 23, 2015 and left knee condition after July 23, 2015 were also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee and leg disability. The Veteran claims service connection for this condition, but the VA examiner did not adequately consider the possibility of a chronic condition noted at his separation examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for osteochondral lesions of the left and right knees, as well as degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The claims are being returned to VA for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions, and requests a new opinion from a clinician regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete treatment records. The claims for service connection, higher evaluations, and separate evaluations are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings and earlier effective dates have been dismissed due to the issuance of a supplemental statement of the case, which is considered part of the legacy appeal system.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU and DEA was granted effective December 1, 2003. The Board found that the Veteran met the schedular criteria for TDIU from this date.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during active service and thus service connection is granted.,Service connection for hypertension cannot be established as the evidence does not support a finding that it began or was aggravated by active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including right knee disability, low back disability, PTSD, substance abuse, liver disability, and heart disability. The Board has determined that these issues are remanded due to the need for further development or clarification.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The case is remanded to obtain updated VA examination records for left ear hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right knee and left shoulder conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since January 31, 2016. The Board has granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective from that date.