Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the remaining issues related to his lower back, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and degenerative arthritis of both knees.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are etiologically related to his in-service injuries, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence.,The claims for service connection for a left knee condition, right knee condition, hearing loss, hypertension, hypertensive cardiovascular heart disease, and gastritis have also been reopened.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete VA examinations and unclear dates of meniscectomy procedures.

The Board denied service connection for a lower back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The Veteran's claim for a lower back disability was reopened due to new evidence.,Service connection was not granted for the left knee or right knee disabilities as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), right knee disability, respiratory disability, polycythemia vera, lower extremity neuropathy, ischemic heart disease, traumatic brain injury, and eye disability have all been granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for shin splints, bilateral pes planus, osteoarthritis of the left knee, and initial compensable rating for history of kidney stones requiring stent placement due to lack of evidence of current disabilities or functional impairment.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions, including back disability, bilateral foot disability, flat feet, arthritis of the feet, and bilateral hearing loss, has been granted. The appeals are remanded for further development on issues related to a bilateral knee disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of right knee injury with residual arthritis. The issues of service connection for a left knee condition, as well as increased ratings for right knee disabilities and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his exposure to herbicide agents, as the legal standard regarding in-service exposure has changed. The Veteran served aboard a ship that was in 'official waters' of Vietnam during parts of his active duty.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The decision also dismisses the issue of service connection for an orchiectomy of the left testicle.

The Veteran's right knee DJD and acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depressive disorder, are now service-connected. The Veteran is also granted a 20 percent disability rating for his left ankle condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a left knee disorder and a right knee disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 20 percent from September 8, 2016 through October 16, 2017 for a meniscus tear and is now granted a 60 percent rating from December 1, 2018 to March 19, 2019. A 100 percent rating was granted effective March 20, 2019 due to the need for prosthetic replacement of the right knee joint.

The Board has granted an initial 30 percent rating for sinusitis prior to August 28, 2013. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating is denied since August 28, 2013. Other issues are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for migraines, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again as new medical examinations are needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to incongruities in the examination report and medical opinion, as well as insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions. The claims will be further evaluated with additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder strain, lower back strain, bilateral knee strain, and sleep apnea. The claims for bilateral leg lymphedema and COPD are remanded due to the need for a medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder have been dismissed as the appeals were withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been granted, with an effective date of January 13, 2011. The other claims have been remanded.