Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has determined that new VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee impairment preexisted service and was aggravated by active duty. The cervical spine disorder and lumbar spine disorder are remanded for further development as veteran status is not established for the periods of ACDUTRA mentioned.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee arthritis and meniscal tear, status post meniscectomy, is at least as likely as not secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. As such, the appeal for service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Oak Hill Hospital on April 23, 2016 are denied as the treatment was not for a service-connected disability and VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's appeals due to new evidence being added to the claims file, and requests that this evidence be reviewed by the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability, cervical spine disability, and thoracolumbar spine disability have been granted. The cervical spine disability has a rating of 20 percent, while the thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, neck, left knee, right knee, and right ankle disabilities may be related to service. However, due to a lack of VA examinations addressing these claims, the case is being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, finding that these conditions are proximately due to injuries sustained in service.

The Board has dismissed the claims for numbness of the top and left side of the head, bilateral foot disability, left shoulder disability, and right knee disability as these issues have been resolved by a favorable rating decision.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current knee conditions are not related to his service-connected lumbar spine osteoarthritis.,Service connection was also denied for COPD, with the Board concluding that it is not related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee and foot disabilities due to a lack of medical evidence on record. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service.

Service connection for a right knee disability and hypertension (HTN) has been granted. The Veteran's radial neuropathy of the right wrist is now rated with an effective date prior to May 12, 2011.,The rating in excess of 30 percent for the right shoulder disability and the rating in excess of 10 percent for the right wrist disability are both remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate examination in the previous decision.

The Board has dismissed the issues of service connection for a stomach disability, right and left knee disabilities, right and left elbow disabilities, and a right hand disability. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a temporary total rating for convalescence following left knee surgery and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all pertinent records, arrange for medical opinions as requested, and then adjudicate the claims.

The Board has denied service connection for a right knee condition due to the lack of evidence showing a current disability related to the Veteran's service.,Service connection is remanded for hypertension and gastrointestinal conditions as there is insufficient competent evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. An examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's right knee synovitis is not rated higher than 10 percent, and his bilateral foot skin disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The left knee internal derangement issue requires further clarification regarding whether there is a history of a meniscal condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to failure to comply with previous remand directives and to obtain opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's neck disability, left knee disability, and TDIU claim.