Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's dental condition is denied as there is no evidence of in-service trauma or disease resulting in a loss of substance of the body of either the maxilla or mandible.,Service connection for hypertension is denied because it was not present during service and there is no objective evidence linking it to military service. The claim cannot be granted on a presumptive basis as hypertension must be shown within one year following separation from active duty.,The Veteran's left knee arthritis is denied as there is no in-service injury or diagnosis, and the condition did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a left knee disorder and remanded it for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination to determine the etiology of any current left knee disorders.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for migraines and right knee tenosynovitis due to the need for further VA examinations with medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right knee patellofemoral syndrome, as well as migraine headaches due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete evidence.

The Veteran's left knee DJD status post arthroscopic surgery for a torn meniscus is currently rated at 10 percent, and the claim for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's left ankle strain with degenerative arthritis is currently rated at 10 percent, and the claim for an increased rating is denied.,The Veteran's residuals of right ankle sprain with degenerative arthritis are currently rated at 10 percent, and the claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a left leg disability and a back disability (including as secondary to the service-connected left leg disability). Service connection for a bilateral knee condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for left wrist, low back, and right knee disabilities have been denied. A separate rating of 10% has been granted for the portion of his service-connected right knee disability manifested by slight instability.

The Board has denied a higher rating for the Veteran's left knee disability and remanded the case due to issues with his cervical and lumbar spine.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral knee disability, finding new and material evidence. The claims for back disability and sleep apnea remain denied.,A VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran’s sleep apnea was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but granted service connection for right and left ankle disorders and severe back pain. The remaining issues have been remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected arthritis of the left and right knee is being remanded for further evaluation due to lack of recent examination.

The Board has determined that a new examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities due to his testimony indicating worsening symptoms and an inadequate previous examination.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including arthritis and meniscectomy, is rated at 10 percent. The Board has remanded the case for further development to consider a TDIU due to employment difficulties.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service and the preponderance of the evidence fails to establish a relationship with service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a present disability under VA regulations. The Board finds that his current hearing status does not qualify him for compensation based on noise exposure in service.,The claim for tinnitus is granted as the initial onset occurred within one year of discharge and there is no evidence against it being related to service.,Barrett's esophagus is denied because there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service, and the preponderance of the evidence fails to establish a relationship with service.,Left hand numbness is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service, and the preponderance of the evidence fails to establish a relationship with service.,Right hand numbness is denied for similar reasons: no chronic condition during service and failure to establish a relationship with service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all claims related to pes planus, lumbar stenosis, tinnitus, and other service-connected conditions. The appeals are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, particularly concerning their onset during service.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions and examinations are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, as well as his increased rating claims. The issues of entitlement to higher ratings for various knee disorders, hallux valgus, and hemorrhoids have also been remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations. The Veteran's service connection claims are pending.

The Veteran's left knee disability may have worsened since the last VA examination in October 2015, and a new VA examination is needed to assess his current level of impairment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and found that his current bilateral knee disability is related to service, specifically aggravating his pre-existing Osgood-Schlatter's disease. However, the Board denied service connection as there was no evidence linking the current chondrocalcinosis to service.