Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection for hypothyroidism disorder and paralysis of cranial nerve XI, as well as a TDIU from February 1, 2018.,The Veteran’s claims for increased disability evaluation in excess of 20 percent for left-knee instability and initial compensable disability evaluation for residual scars associated with left-knee injury are denied.

Service connection for bilateral pes planus is granted. Other issues are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain due to undiagnosed illness, but denied service connection for right shoulder pain and high blood pressure.

The Board has denied service connection for a right testicle condition. The claims of service connection for left shoulder, low back, neck, and right knee conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left knee disability (non-LOM symptomatology) is denied as the evidence does not show that the condition has manifested with instability or subluxation.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left knee disability (LOM symptomatology) is remanded as there is no objective evidence of LOM on flexion less than 0 to 45 degrees.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for PTSD, left and right knee tendonitis, and tinnitus were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of a claim or submission of any kind received since the prior denial.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disorder, neck disorder, low back disorder, right knee disorder, pseudofolliculitis barbae, bilateral hearing loss, heart disorder, and acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and depression), finding no new and material evidence to reopen these claims.

The appeal of the issue of an increased rating for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine is dismissed.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is denied.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for low back, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle conditions have been granted. The claim for benign cortical defect (claimed as bilateral shin splints) has not been reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Service connection is also denied for PTSD and sleep condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 7, 2011.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence, but has remanded them for further development as there is insufficient evidence to determine if any of the claimed conditions are related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee conditions, as secondary to his service-connected ankle disability. The case will be reviewed and a VA examination may be necessary to determine if there is any relationship between the current knee conditions and military service or the service-connected ankle disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disorder, neck disorder, left knee disorder, left leg disorder, sleep apnea, and genitourinary disorder as there is no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to service.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to new evidence received since the last decision. The effective date of the hypertension award is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, as well as to consider service connection for various disabilities.

The Veteran's initial rating for PTSD is denied. The Board has remanded other service connection claims related to back, right leg, right knee, and right foot disorders as well as residuals of a TBI.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left thumb scar is granted. The previously denied claims of service connection for bilateral knee disabilities and lumbar strain are reopened, but the issues related to these conditions are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right knee disability rating was reduced to 0 percent in August 2015, but the Board has restored the 10 percent rating effective November 1, 2015.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities, and thus remands the cases for further development.