Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disability, but remanded her claims for restless leg syndrome and chronic cough due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability other than sleep apnea is denied. The claim of left knee arthritis is granted, and the issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient examination findings and requests for additional contemporaneous examinations with accompanying opinions.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is remanded due to a failure to obtain a retrospective opinion addressing the severity of her combined disabilities in relation to her claimed TDIU throughout the appeal period. The RO has also misconstrued the extent of the period on appeal and has not adjudicated the issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to August 3, 2012.

The Board denied service connection for gastritis, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder as there was no current disability found. The Veteran's symptoms were attributed to his service-connected alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and increased rating for left knee pain with weakness are denied. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, and his left knee disability is rated as noncompensable prior to October 15, 2014, and 10 percent disabling thereafter.

The Veteran's nasal disability is granted service connection. The right knee, back, and OSA disabilities are remanded for additional development. Service connection for TBI and acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD) is also remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar degenerative joint disease with muscle spasm is not service-connected.,Right hip disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are not service-connected as secondary to back disorder.,Right shoulder disorder and left shoulder disorder are not service-connected as secondary to back disorder.

The Board dismissed the appeal of service connection for a respiratory disability. Service connection was granted for low back and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right ankle has been dismissed as his claim was granted in a prior rating decision. The cases for left ankle and knee degenerative arthritis, along with right knee residuals, are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a bilateral knee condition, a shoulder condition, and a back disorder due to incomplete records and inadequate examinations. The case is being sent back for further action.

The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction and right knee disability secondary to service-connected disabilities have been granted. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, finding that his current condition had its onset during active duty and continues to this day.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted as it is at least as likely as not that the condition began in service and has persisted since.,The Veteran's kidney cancer claim is denied because there is no evidence of a disease or injury in service, nor any indication that the condition manifested within one year of separation from service.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded due to the possibility of delayed onset tinnitus and insufficient rationale for the November 2016 VA examiner’s opinion.,The Veteran's left knee disability claim is remanded as there are no medical opinions regarding a nexus between in-service complaints and current disabilities.,The Veteran's right knee disability claim is remanded due to lack of medical evidence addressing the relationship between service and current knee conditions.,The Veteran's fibromyalgia claim is remanded because there is insufficient evidence linking current symptoms to service.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, and ischemic heart disease claims are both remanded as exposure to herbicide agents in service must be verified before a determination can be made on these claims.,The Veteran's respiratory disability claim is remanded due to the possibility of secondary service connection for coronary artery disease.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral shoulder, knee, and lumbar spine conditions. The right and left elbow conditions are remanded for further development.

An effective date of August 31, 2004, but not earlier, for the grant of service connection for lumbosacral strain is granted. A 30 percent rating for bilateral knee postoperative scars beginning October 28, 2013, but not prior, is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal concerning the increased evaluation for left knee instability and obstructive sleep apnea, which were previously part of his appeal. As a result, the case is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, lower back disability, and esophageal cancer due to insufficient development. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including an orthopedic evaluation of the Veteran's left knee disability and etiology of his low back strain and right hip arthritis. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the left tibia/fibula disorder and a 10 percent rating for the right tibia/fibula disorder, effective from November 17, 2004. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disorders have been denied.