Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, as well as his PFB. The remand is due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities is granted. The Board finds new and material evidence has been received, but remands the cases due to insufficient nexus opinions regarding in-service exposure and current diagnoses. Service connection for bladder cancer is granted based on presumptive exposure to herbicide agents. TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to address issues related to rating excess of 10 percent for right knee disability and left knee disability prior to January 8, 2018, including consideration of left knee instability.

The Board's decision denying service connection for right and left knee disabilities was vacated due to a procedural error, as the Veteran did not have an opportunity for a second hearing before the original decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, low back disability, and swollen glands due to lack of examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding increased initial ratings for right and left knee disabilities, resulting in the dismissal of these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, requiring a new one to assess the severity of the Veteran's right knee disability and its impact on his daily activities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for polymyalgia rheumatica of the lower extremities, left knee DJD, bilateral hip disability, and bilateral feet DJD due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis prior to May 20, 2015 was rated at 20 percent. The Board has remanded the case for further review.

The Board has remanded two issues: entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent prior to June 25, 2018 for service-connected left knee arthroplasty and entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected right knee osteoarthritis. The remand is due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and right ankle condition (bone spur) as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20% and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10% and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions and verifying service periods. The Veteran's right knee, left knee, right ankle, sleep disorder, and thyroid disorder are all being reviewed.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection in multiple conditions, including lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right eye macular degeneration, right knee disorder, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss. The earliest effective date assigned was January 14, 2014.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by limited motion and instability, has not met the criteria for a higher rating prior to May 15, 2019. The current evaluation of 20% is appropriate given his symptoms.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new VA medical examination and opinion to determine if the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to his active service, including documented injuries in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but further evidence is needed to determine if his current left knee and right hand disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee conditions, including degenerative joint disease, meniscal tear, limitation of extension, lateral instability, and patellar instability, are rated based on their respective diagnostic codes. The appeal is denied as the Veteran does not meet the criteria for increased ratings under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot, lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to lack of opinion regarding whether these conditions are related to parachute jumps in service.