Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis due to a lack of in-service medical records and the need to consider his theory that jet fuel exposure caused delayed-onset allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is granted as his symptoms are related to service exposure to acoustic trauma.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right knee and sinus disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the issues of service connection for back injury, left hip condition, right hip condition, left knee condition, and right knee condition due to a need for additional development. Specifically, a VA examination is needed to address whether the Veteran's claimed disabilities preexisted service.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted as service connected, with all reasonable doubt resolved in his favor.

The Veteran's hip, knee, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities are not service connected as they did not manifest during or within one year after service. The Veteran's bowel and bladder incontinence is also not service connected due to lack of a nexus between the condition and her military service.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for hypertension and has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of her right knee condition and cervical spine disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to June 14, 2011, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an adequate medical opinion regarding additional functional loss or limitation of motion during periods of flare-up and after repetitive use.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right knee disabilities prior to April 10, 2017 are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and evaluation.

Service connection is granted for cervical spine condition, right knee condition, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to service-connected cervical spine condition.,Service connection is denied for left hip strain.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his right ankle disability, as he had moderate limitation of motion and no marked limitation. His knee disabilities also did not meet criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are necessary to properly assess the Veteran's lumbar spine and left knee disabilities, as well as their impact on his TDIU claim. The case is being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for traumatic arthritis of the right ankle, patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative arthritis of both knees, and instability of both knees have been denied. The Veteran is currently rated at 10% for each condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding service connection for a right knee condition, which may be related to or aggravated by a service-connected left knee condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, finding that there is not clear and unmistakable evidence that his pre-existing condition was aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disorder and bilateral ankle gout due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA opinion. The case is sent back for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from an appropriate VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee, right elbow, and right thumb conditions due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The VA will conduct a physical examination to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for CRDP payments prior to September 1, 2014 was denied. The Board also found a pre-decisional duty to assist error and ordered the RO to send the Veteran a notification letter regarding an October 2017 audit indicating he was entitled to a retroactive compensation payment of $984.00 for the period from January 2017 to May 2017.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, right elbow osteoarthritis, tension headaches, and traumatic brain injury are not supported by the evidence. The claims have been remanded to obtain additional medical opinions addressing whether these conditions are related to service.