Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disorder has been reopened due to new and material evidence. The claims for increased ratings of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee disability are denied. Other issues related to service connection have been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that his current diagnoses are related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination and review of medical records.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical examination and review of the Veteran's work history. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to November 7, 2016 is now pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was rendered unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities for the appellate period prior to March 7, 2022. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and degenerative joint diseases of various joints, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities due to insufficient reasoning in a previous decision regarding the Veteran's lay statements about leg cramps on separation from service.

The Board has granted service connection for rhinitis on a presumptive basis due to exposure to burn pits during the Gulf War. Service connection is also granted for right and left knee disorders, as well as sleep apnea, based on in-service events. The Veteran's eczema and GERD are rated as they currently stand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining all available service treatment records and conducting VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation, including obtaining updated VA treatment records, scheduling a new examination to assess the severity of the lumbar spine disability, and determining whether a TDIU is warranted due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right and left knee osteoarthritis as they are not in compliance with previous orders. The Veteran needs to be scheduled for a VA examination to address deficiencies noted in prior decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service and manifested within one year of separation.,Service connection was denied for a lumbar spine disorder due to lack of evidence showing its onset during service or within one year post-service. The Veteran's current sleep apnea claim was also denied as there was no diagnosis found in the medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims for an earlier effective date due to concerns about the completeness of the record and the need for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to new evidence received since the last Statement of the Case. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and a higher rating for his left knee disability will be reconsidered.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for TDIU prior to September 1, 2018, due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, left ear disability, back pain, neck pain, left arm disability, right arm disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. The issues have been remanded due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for rating ratings of knee conditions due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee disabilities due to issues with previous examinations and a need for new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is REMANDED for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to assess his orthopedic conditions. The TDIU claim will also be referred to the Director, Compensation Service, for extraschedular consideration.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for a 10% rating for right knee osteophytes and service connection for right foot drop, allergic rhinitis, and tinnitus. The effective date is set at February 25, 2018.