Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various joint disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and further evaluation.

The Veteran's right knee strain was denied a rating in excess of 10 percent.,The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis was denied a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and meniscal tear, status post repair, and left knee osteoarthritis, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these conditions began during active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development, specifically a need for an adequate secondary service connection opinion addressing causation and aggravation of the Veteran's right knee disability by his service-connected left knee condition.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the Veteran's claims can be adjudicated. The claims are remanded for further medical development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the condition existed prior to service and if it was aggravated by service. The Veteran will be afforded a VA examination to address these issues.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional records and an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is granted as service-connected due to its onset during active service and aggravation by her service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's asthma is granted as service-connected due to its manifestation within the 10-year presumptive period following separation from active service in Afghanistan.,The Veteran's bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome is granted as service-connected due to its onset during active service.,The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is not addressed by VA examination and requires further evaluation.,The Veteran's chronic bilateral ear disorder is not addressed by VA examination and requires further evaluation.,The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity nerve damage, to include as a result of a service-connected disability, is not addressed by VA examination and requires further evaluation.,The Veteran's bilateral upper extremity nerve damage, to include as a result of a service-connected disability, is not addressed by VA examination and requires further evaluation.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, to include as a result of a service-connected disability, is granted as service-connected due to its aggravation by her major depressive disorder.,The Veteran's chronic headaches are granted as service-connected with an increased rating required based on the frequency and severity of attacks.,The Veteran's lumbar spine spondylosis at L5-S1 prior to September 25, 2019 is granted as service-connected with a higher rating required after that date.,The Veteran's cervical spine osteoarthritis prior to September 25, 2019 is granted as service-connected with a higher rating required after that date.,The Veteran's right knee medial compartment osteoarthritis is granted as service-connected with a higher rating required based on the severity of symptoms.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities due to a lack of current diagnoses or evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to obtain an updated opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, specifically whether it is proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected total replacement of the left knee.

The Board has found that there is not substantial compliance with the previous remand directives regarding the claims for service connection for lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities. The appeal for right side numbness, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities are all being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear classification of the Veteran's left knee condition as a congenital disease or defect, and requires additional medical opinions on whether it was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including DDD of the lumbar spine, bilateral knee osteoarthritis, GERD, and bilateral lower extremities radiculopathy, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since August 4, 2011. The Board has granted a TDIU for this period.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's left knee disability, as the previous opinions did not consider the Veteran's lay statements of continuity of symptoms from service.

The Veteran's right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome are rated at 10 percent each, with no higher rating due to the severity of symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased rating of migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss disability, back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The Veteran's claim for an initial 30 percent rating prior to September 20, 2016, for migraine headaches is granted. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection and increased ratings of these conditions.

The Board has dismissed all the issues of service connection and rating for disabilities, as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's increased ratings for right knee disability were denied, with the exception of a grant of an increased rating to 20 percent from February 7, 2019. The Veteran was also granted TDIU status.

The Board has remanded two issues related to service connection for degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis of the right knee due to outstanding VA treatment records from 2013.

The Board has remanded several issues for additional development, including service connection claims and evaluations of various disabilities. The effective date for the grant of service connection for right elbow epicondylitis (pronation) is denied.