Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, specifically his service connection claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board granted his claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and bilateral flatfoot due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's left knee joint pain, which manifested in 2012 and is considered an undiagnosed illness, has been granted service connection.

The Veteran's increased ratings for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees are denied. The Board found no evidence that her knee disabilities caused or aggravated her lumbosacral spine disability, thus denying service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right knee disability, chronic back pain, hypertension, hepatitis C, renal disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and anxiety) due to outstanding medical records and in-service stressor verification.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no direct evidence linking his current condition to his military service. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's knee issues were not related to environmental exposures during his tour in Southwest Asia and did not have a clear etiology from service.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent from September 8, 2011 to October 12, 2015 for limitation of left knee flexion was denied as the evidence did not show that his disability had worsened beyond what is contemplated by the current 10% rating.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right knee chondromalacia with osteoarthritis are currently assigned separate 10 percent evaluations, which the Board finds insufficient to warrant higher ratings based on current functional limitations.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied due to lack of evidence showing he is unable to secure or follow any substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to failure to appear for VA examinations. The Board will reschedule the exams and consider the issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied or not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for PTSD was reopened, but the Board found no causal relationship between the current disability and active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, including migraines, is granted. The claims for right knee iliotibial band syndrome, right shoulder condition, and elbow condition are remanded for further development.

The Board has found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, and his erectile dysfunction and gout do not warrant compensable ratings. The right knee condition is remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, bilateral knee disorders, bilateral foot disorders, anxiety disorder, and sleep disorder. The VA is instructed to obtain relevant post-service treatment records and schedule a VA examination to determine if these conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, as well as his request for a new examination. The Veteran will need to provide missing supporting statements for his sleep apnea claim, undergo an examination for restless leg syndrome, and have a VA examination for bilateral knee strain.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received. The right knee pain, left knee pain, acquired psychiatric disorder, and TBI claims are also being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted as presumptively related to his service in Vietnam due to herbicide exposure. The left knee disorder, chronic headaches, and high blood pressure are denied as not being related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The rating for bilateral pes planus with arthritis has been granted.