Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran is asked to submit or authorize VA to obtain records from private providers who have treated him for these conditions since service.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right knee with patellar spur is denied a rating greater than 10 percent. The claims for lumbosacral spine disability, cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, bilateral hip disability, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are all denied as not related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development of records and an inadequate medical opinion. The Veteran's right knee condition is being reviewed again for a comprehensive evaluation.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on multiple knee and foot conditions have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeals by the Veteran.,A new examination is required for bilateral plantar fasciitis with pes planus and thoracolumbar strain with mild degenerative disc disease.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and providing addendum opinions. The issues of increased rating for left knee TKA replacement, service connection for right hip disorder, OSA, migraine headaches, HTN, and right knee disorder are all being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, lumbar, cervical neck, right knee, and left knee disorders due to inadequate etiological opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to deficiencies in previous examinations and because of the interrelated nature with his TDIU claim.

The appeal of the reduction for a right ankle disability rating and entitlement to an increased disability rating is remanded due to incomplete VA examination results.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for allergic rhinitis has been granted as a presumptive disability under the PACT Act due to exposure to burn pits and other toxins during his active duty.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because there is no evidence of current hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's right knee limitation of extension was restored to a 20 percent rating effective June 30, 2015. A greater than 20 percent rating for this condition is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right and left knee conditions, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), and body convulsions (to include restless leg syndrome) due to new evidence not being received.

The Board has remanded the claims for a retrospective opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's right knee disorders, including osteoarthritis with knee surgery, limitation of flexion and extension, as well as muscle group IX injury prior to surgery and thereafter. The examiner must consider lay statements and provide estimates of functional impairment due to pain or flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and right hand disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions in the prior VA examinations. Further development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and right knee disabilities were initially denied, but new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen these claims. The Board finds that the reopened claims are granted. However, the claims for service connection remain on remand due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset and aggravation of the conditions.

The Veteran's hypertension was granted on a direct basis. The Board found that the probative evidence supported the claim, as there is enough epidemiological evidence to support a positive association between in-service herbicide agent exposure and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine and right knee disorders require additional medical examination to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and his need for aid and attendance or housebound status was also denied due to the lack of evidence linking his disabilities to his service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee, right knee, and bilateral foot disabilities due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left knee condition is caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee patellar chondritis. The VA must obtain a new opinion addressing these issues.

The claim for service connection of a left knee disability is reopened and the case is remanded to determine if it is related to service or a service-connected condition.