Knee Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders as well as hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of a disease or injury in service or until decades after service. The Board also found that these conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records and providing a new VA examination.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is not rated higher than the current 10 percent due to lack of limitation of motion or instability.,Service connection for a lower back condition was denied as there is no evidence that it began during service and is not aggravated by a service-connected disability.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed left ankle, right knee, left knee, left hip, right shoulder, left shoulder, thoracolumbar spine with radiculopathy, and cervical spine disabilities based on a finding of in-service onset and credible reports of chronicity.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of left hip and left knee disabilities due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a new VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of his service-connected knee disabilities, including range of motion testing in weight-bearing conditions. The Veteran is also requested to provide or authorize VA to obtain relevant treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for left below knee amputation should be remanded due to a lack of acknowledgment of his timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) and because he did not receive a VA examination in relation to this issue. The Board also notes that there is conflicting evidence regarding whether the condition was caused by medication or an in-service event.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including securing VA neurological treatment records and determining if the Veteran is in regular need of aid and attendance or permanently housebound due to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's right ankle disability is granted a separate 10 percent rating, and TDIU is granted due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from working.

The Veteran's disability ratings for his left shoulder, left knee, and right knee conditions were reduced or increased. The reduction of the left shoulder rating from 20% to 10% was not proper due to lack of sustained improvement in function under ordinary conditions of life and work. The case is remanded for further examination and consideration.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence in the VA examination report, and a new opinion is needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to his failure to appear for a scheduled DRO hearing. The Veteran will be given another opportunity to present his case at a rescheduled hearing.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, and bilateral leg disabilities due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, left knee disability, and cervical spine disability. Service connection is also granted for erectile dysfunction but denied for hypertension.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an additional VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran asserts that his February 2014 VA examination did not reflect the severity of his knees and requested a new examination.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current functional impairment.

The Board has determined that the proper procedures were not followed in determining whether the Veteran is eligible for S-DVI due to his nonservice-connected conditions. The matter must be remanded to ensure compliance with all procedural requirements set forth in the M29-1, including obtaining Attending Physician's Statements (APSs) where required and ensuring that the severity of the nonservice-connected disabilities considered to be disqualifying is accurately considered.

The Board has remanded the case for referral to the Under Secretary for Benefits or the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration due to the Veteran's right knee meniscal tear disability.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD is denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding of service connection.,The Veteran's claims for left knee disability, bilateral pes planus, and sleep apnea are remanded to obtain additional development.