Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding service connection for right and left knee conditions. The VA examiner is required to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's bilateral knee disorders are related to military service, including a fall from a pole during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is reopened, and the case is remanded to determine if his current left knee disability is related to his service-connected right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating greater than 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's appeal for a rating greater than 20 percent for left knee degenerative joint disease with limitation of extension is remanded. The appeal for entitlement to TDIU is also remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pulmonary embolism and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett's esophagus. The left knee condition claim is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for entitlement to increased disability ratings for left and right ankle disabilities, as well as for left knee instability. The appeal for increased disability ratings for left and right knee disabilities is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left knee disabilities due to inadequate examination and failure to provide a flare-up opinion. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the left knee claims.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right knee arthritis and atrial fibrillation. The cases will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck, left knee, right knee, right ankle, and left hip disabilities due to issues with the qualifications of the medical examiner and insufficient evidence regarding the current status of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia was denied as it would violate the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.14, which prohibits granting service connection for a disability that is part and parcel of another condition already in service-connected status.,Ratings for right and left knee disabilities were also denied as they did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for left knee injuries due to inadequate examination findings and lack of range of motion testing.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was granted service connection. The right wrist and right knee conditions are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea, including its relationship to service-connected bronchial asthma and obesity caused by left knee disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing the conditions began during or were related to service.,Service connection was also denied for heart condition.

The Board has granted a separate compensable rating of 20 percent for dislocated left knee semilunar cartilage under Diagnostic Code 5258 from July 2, 2010.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining examinations and medical opinions as requested.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected left elbow, left lower leg, and left knee disabilities. The issues include seeking higher ratings for these conditions and determining if TDIU is warranted prior to October 23, 2019.

The Veteran's service connection claim for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is granted. The right knee disability claims are denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea is denied, and his left knee disability is granted a 60% rating effective from the date of claim. A separate 10% rating for left knee instability was also granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including nicotine dependence, asbestos exposure, and psychiatric disorders. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated during her military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for mid to low back disability and right knee disability have been denied as there is no credible evidence of a chronic condition in service or since, and the only competent opinion does not support a finding that current disabilities are related to service.