Knee Board decisions

The Board denied a request for an effective date prior to April 16, 2014 for the award of service connection for DJD of the cervical spine, patellofemoral syndrome of the right and left knees, residual scar from GSW of the back, and mild interphalangeal osteoarthritis of the left fifth finger.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back, left knee, and right knee disabilities have been reopened. The appeal for an increased rating for PTSD has been dismissed. The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance is denied as he does not require regular aid and assistance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of service connection for left ear and right ear hearing loss disabilities, as well as the compensable rating for those disabilities. The application to reopen claims for residuals of cold weather injury, left shoulder disability, and left knee disability have been granted. Service connection is established for these conditions on a secondary basis due to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee and lumbar spine disorders, finding that they are aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, but denied service connection for major depressive disorder (already service-connected), right ankle disability, and right knee disability. The right shoulder disability remains under review.,The Veteran's right knee and right shoulder disabilities are remanded for additional examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection of seborrheic dermatitis, a mental health disability to include anxiety disorder, depression, and mood disorder, left knee DJD with meniscus tear, and right knee DJD with meniscus tear have been dismissed.

The Veteran's service connection claim for right knee strain and sinusitis is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. Additional examinations are needed to determine if these conditions are related to service, including his time as a parachutist and an in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a VA examination addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's service connection claim for his bilateral knee replacement. The Veteran is not provided with an adequate medical opinion regarding whether any currently diagnosed knee conditions are related to service or any in-service disease, event, or injury.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The jaw disability, right knee and left knee disabilities, and right hip disability were denied as not related to service. The vision disability issue is remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a bilateral knee disability. The denial is based on insufficient evidence to establish that any current disabilities are related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his other conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for total knee replacement, left and right knees (claimed as bilateral knee injury), and for degenerative arthritis of the spine, cervical spondylosis and spinal fusion (claimed as neck injury) have been granted. The appeal is dismissed because these issues are no longer in controversy.

The Veteran has withdrawn his increased rating claims for coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes mellitus type II.,The Veteran has withdrawn his earlier effective date claim for tinnitus. The AOJ will issue a SOC regarding the service connection claims for arthritis.,The Veteran's loss of teeth is remanded due to lack of an adequate VA examination, as well as the need for clarification on carcinogen exposure and further development of the record.,PTSD symptoms are remanded for a new VA examination to determine their current severity and impact on employment.,TDIU claim is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with other claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received. The Veteran's knee conditions are being reviewed again, including his pre-existing left knee condition aggravated during service.

The Board has determined that a medical opinion is needed to address the Veteran's cause of death claim, specifically regarding whether asbestos exposure caused kidney disease and if the right leg below the knee amputation contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and conflicting findings, requiring a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's current level of impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied. The Board has also remanded the issues regarding ratings for his right and left knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran has current knee disabilities and whether these disabilities are related to service or secondary to his service-connected lower back disability.