Knee Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders, finding no evidence of chronic conditions in service or a relationship to service. The examiner noted that there were no complaints or findings of knee pain during service.

The appeal has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim for HIV. The claims of service connection for neck, low back, right knee, left knee, and left shoulder disabilities have been remanded due to new and material evidence.

The Board dismissed all issues of entitlement to increased ratings for various conditions, as the appellant died during the appeal process.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA treatment records and an addendum opinion. The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee arthritis and Baker's cyst of the right knee are pending.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal regarding the increased disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and major depressive disorder. The left knee PFPS issue is remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and conflicting statements about in-service symptoms. The claims will be addressed again with additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment from February 1, 2018 to July 27, 2021. The Board granted a TDIU during this period.

The Board has remanded the case due to inaccuracies in the factual record and a need for an updated medical opinion regarding the onset of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Board has determined that further evaluations are needed for the Veteran's hip, lumbosacral spine, left knee, and tinea corporis disabilities due to incomplete examination reports. The claims of service connection for right and left hip disabilities, increased rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, increased ratings for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and instability, and a compensable rating for tinea corporis are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic bronchitis is granted under the PACT Act, which provides presumptive service connection due to exposure to burn pits. The claims for right shoulder and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee condition, finding that it is aggravated by his service-connected left knee condition.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at a 10 percent rating for limitation of flexion, and a 20 percent rating for instability. The left knee disability is rated at a 40 percent rating for limitation of extension from December 21, 2020. Both knees are currently rated based on their respective conditions without separate ratings.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased ratings for bilateral knee conditions and service connection for right wrist, right hand, and left shoulder conditions due to additional development being needed.

The Board has found that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of increased ratings and service connection, including due to the need for clarification regarding flare-ups and the presence of separate foot diagnoses. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee disability prior to November 22, 2010, and in excess of 30 percent from January 1, 2012, are remanded. The claim for TDIU prior to January 7, 2014, is also remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and rating issues related to erectile dysfunction, bilateral hearing loss, sleep disturbances, a disability characterized by elevated bilirubin, and higher ratings for left knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee scar, and lumbar spine arthritis. The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete service treatment records and requests for further development, including obtaining additional STRs from Salerno, Afghanistan in 2012.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee, right foot disability, and hypertension due to incomplete medical opinions and failure to consider lay statements.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to August 19, 2009 did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to potential Gulf War exposure, and a new VA examination is needed to determine if his symptoms are related to active service.