Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee disability, respiratory disability (bronchitis), and benign essential tremor due to inadequate opinions provided by VA examiners.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including chondromalacia patella with meniscal tear, is currently rated at 10 percent for limitation of motion and a separate 10 percent rating for instability. The appeal has been denied as the criteria for higher ratings are not met.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of right and left knee conditions due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee condition. The examiner did not adequately address the Veteran's testimony and medical evidence regarding her use of a cane.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active duty or any other period of service.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.,The claim for a temporary total evaluation following July 2011 surgery on the right knee was also denied.

The Veteran's residuals of a fracture of the left hand, cervical spine disorder, C5-C6 scarring (secondary to cervical spine disorder), right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are all granted as service-connected.,Service connection is established for these conditions based on direct evidence showing they were incurred during active duty.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for the issues of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for Madelung deformity of the right wrist, plantar fasciitis, left foot, chondromalacia patella, right knee with degenerative arthritis, and residuals, left ankle sprain.

Service connection is granted for left knee arthritis and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected acquired psychiatric and musculoskeletal disabilities. Service connection remains denied for bilateral foot disability (pes planus).,The Veteran's left knee arthritis was diagnosed within one year of separation from active duty, meeting presumptive criteria. His obstructive sleep apnea is found to be related to his service-connected psychiatric and musculoskeletal conditions.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was denied service connection as it manifested more than one year after separation and is not shown to be causally related to an in-service injury or disease. The claims for psychiatric, heart, cervical spine, low back, bilateral shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, and foot disabilities are remanded due to the failure to obtain examinations and opinions concerning their etiology.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the Veteran withdrew it before a decision was made.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination addressing the Veteran's right knee disability, which may be related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD and bilateral knee disabilities are found to be at least as likely as not a cause for why the Veteran required assistance with activities of daily living. The VA has made errors in obtaining relevant medical records, and thus remand is necessary to obtain these records and provide an addendum opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for left knee scarring, left knee disability, and right shoulder disability are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The VA is required to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability and a VA examination for his claimed right shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, low back, right knee, left knee, and hypertension disabilities due to incomplete development of records and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including COPD, sinusitis/rhinitis, and cardiovascular conditions, prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 30, 2008. The Board granted compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for left foot skin graft residuals and TDIU benefits effective March 16, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate July 2020 VA medical opinion, which did not address whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities aggravated his obesity. The examiner focused only on causation and did not consider aggravation.

The Board has remanded the claims for ratings in excess of 30 percent for right knee total arthroplasty, a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the right knee, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for a left ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hiatal hernia, bilateral carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome, and right knee disability due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and requests for private medical records. The Veteran's representative acknowledged that there are no associated medical records in the file.