Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various knee and hip disabilities have been reopened, but the issues are still being reviewed due to new evidence. The eligibility for certain benefits such as specially adapted housing or financial assistance in purchasing a vehicle remains denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded his claims for initial compensable evaluations of left knee strain, right knee strain, and right thumb strain. The effective dates for the grants of service connection are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's right knee and back disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from January 6, 2010.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but he contends that his symptoms have worsened and he should be entitled to a higher rating. The Board has determined that a new VA examination is necessary to assess the current severity of the condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee condition and left knee condition due to incomplete development of records, including VA and non-VA medical records prior to March 2, 2011, and records from Kaiser Permanente. The AOJ is also directed to obtain evidence regarding the Veteran's alleged injury during a typhoon in Guam.

The Veteran's appeals for higher disability ratings for OSA, hypertension, and headaches have been withdrawn. The claims of higher disability ratings for bilateral knee instability, left knee retropatellar pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis, right knee retropatellar pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis, and cervical spine degenerative disc disease are being remanded.

The appeal for the issues of entitlement to increased evaluations for right foot plantar fasciitis and heel spur, as well as right knee patellofemoral syndrome, is dismissed. The issue of an increased evaluation for right knee patellofemoral syndrome remains on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 18, 2018.

The Board has denied service connection for right ankle, left ankle, and headaches disabilities. The claims for right knee and low back disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities and service connection for a back condition are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete VA examination and conflicting medical evidence. The Veteran is not service-connected for right or left ankle disabilities, but a current left knee disability may be present.

The Board has found the Veteran's report of chronic knee problems in service not credible based on her service medical history. The case is remanded for further development and an examination to determine if any disorder had its onset in service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and migraine headaches have been denied. The VA has determined that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his claim for TDIU due to these conditions. Additional development is needed, including updated VA examinations and a review of the Veteran's employment history.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder has been reopened, but the appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of his left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability and reopened the claims for right ankle and left knee disabilities. The case is remanded to obtain VA examination results and provide an opinion on the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected low back disability and his right ankle and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues except service connection for a fatty tumor of the right testicle, which was granted. The remaining claims were dismissed due to withdrawal.

The Board dismissed all issues related to service connection for various knee and foot disabilities due to the appellant's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension, bilateral knee disability, and acquired psychiatric disability due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the onset of symptoms and their relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees, as well as diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's symptoms have been consistent with her in-service experiences.