Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's back condition is granted as service connected.,Hypertension, claimed as high blood pressure, is denied as not related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his right knee disability as it found that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for right leg peripheral vascular disease with right below knee amputation, left leg peripheral vascular disease, and hypertension due to potential herbicide exposure in Vietnam. A new VA examination is needed to consider this new finding.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to ensure that her lumbar spine, right hip, and right knee disabilities are evaluated in accordance with VA examination standards. The issues of rating her degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc disease of the lumbar spine, limitation of flexion of the right hip, and patella chondromalacia of the right knee remain pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and requests for additional medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities due to a need for further development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining retrospective medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service injury and symptomatology.

The Veteran's walker does not cause wear and tear to her clothing, so she is denied a clothing allowance for the 2016 calendar year.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with no evidence of a current diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an initial compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss.,Regarding service connection for cardiovascular disease, to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents and/or as secondary to PTSD, there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current condition and any in-service exposures or service-connected conditions. The Board finds that the criteria for service connection have not been met.

The Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia, IBS, and a left knee condition are granted. The lower back, bilateral shoulder, and neck conditions remain pending as the evidence is not sufficient to establish service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating prior to his right knee replacement was denied as the current 10 percent rating adequately compensates for his symptoms, including pain. The issue of increased rating after surgery is remanded.

The Board has granted restoration of service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease, but the case is remanded for an increased disability evaluation for right knee surgery and right knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board is remanding the issues of service connection for left and right groin disabilities, hypertension and headache disabilities (secondary to service-connected lumbosacral spondylosis and degenerative disk disease), right ankle disability, left ankle disability, acquired psychiatric disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, right knee disability, and neck disability.,Further development is needed for these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the introduction of new and material evidence. However, the claims remain pending as they are being remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his degenerative arthritis of the right knee and left knee, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to his service-connected PTSD and additional service-connected disabilities rated at 60 percent or more. SMC at the housebound rate is also granted from January 1, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee pain, ankle disorders, and foot disabilities. The Board also denied his claim for service connection for headaches secondary to hypertension.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as he did not meet the criteria based on his service-connected disabilities.

Service connection is granted for left knee disability, left ankle disability, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2 are rated as appropriate. Service connection for PTSD is denied.,Service connection is denied for tinea versicolor of the face and head, right elbow disability, and left wrist disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected left knee disorder, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected condition.