Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection and additional disability of the low back, as well as several other issues, are being remanded due to insufficient development or evidence. The remaining claims have been addressed in the November 2019 Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and remanded the issue of service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to psoriasis.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back disability and remanded the issue of rating his left knee disability in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's back disability is granted as service-connected. The left-hand, right-wrist, and left-elbow disabilities are denied. The left-knee disability is remanded for further review.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities had their onset during service, granting service connection for these conditions. The back disability is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and left knee disability, finding that these conditions are not related to his service-connected ankle sprains.

The Veteran's left knee meniscal tear with arthroscopic repair is granted service connection.,Service connection for a respiratory disorder and sleep apnea are granted, but the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and major depressive disorder) remains pending due to insufficient evidence at this time.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted service connection.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU as of November 27, 2017 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. Prior to this date, the criteria for a TDIU were not met.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various knee and shoulder conditions, as well as other disabilities, have been denied. The criteria for the requested increases in rating were not met.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for gout and entitlement to a TDIU rating are being remanded due to inadequate examination, inextricability of the issues, and need for verification of incarceration status.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for painful joints, including as due to exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards, is being remanded. The VA examiner needs to provide an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran’s complaints of joint pain in his hands and knees.

The Veteran's request to reopen his previously denied claims for right knee disorder, coronary artery disease, and PTSD were not granted. The effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease was denied as it was received within one year of the Veteran's separation from active duty. The Veteran's claim for hypertension is remanded due to lack of evidence supporting a direct link to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorder and tinnitus have been reopened, but the issues are being remanded due to lack of sufficient evidence.

The Board denied a disability rating more than 10 percent for left knee strain, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant such an increase based on limited range of motion and no instability or subluxation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee conditions, including arthritis, instability, and cartilage issues with frequent locking and effusion, are now rated at 20 percent. The previous ratings for limitation of extension (20%) and instability (10%) have been maintained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee and left hip disabilities were caused or aggravated by his service-connected loss of use of the left foot, and therefore grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for cold injury residuals, including Raynaud's disease, in the bilateral hands and a right knee disability due to inadequate examination reports. The Veteran is required to provide updated evidence or cooperate with VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injuries and current disabilities being related to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for right knee total knee replacement and determined that this condition was aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. The decision is based on evidence showing compensatory changes in gait due to the left knee disability, which led to aggravation of the right knee.