Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right knee disorder and hypertension due to additional development being required.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for increased ratings on multiple conditions, including left shoulder bursitis, thoracolumbar strain, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, hip osteoarthritis, knee patellofemoral syndrome (both knees), ankle post-operative changes, sinusitis, and hiatal hernia with GERD.

The Veteran's appeal was partially granted, with a 30 percent evaluation for painful motion due to degenerative joint disease of the left knee from May 6, 2011 through September 24, 2014. The Veteran also received a separate 10 percent evaluation for instability due to the same condition during that period. However, his appeal regarding TDIU was not addressed and is being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ was implicitly denied in the July 2011 rating decision. The Board granted an effective date of May 16, 2013, for this benefit. The right knee and pes planus issues are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and bilateral knee disability, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that would support these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has dismissed the appeals due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right eye disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder.,A separate 20 percent rating is granted for a torn meniscus in the right knee, but a higher rating for traumatic arthritis remains denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for DJD of the left and right knees, DJD of the lumbar spine, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression and insomnia) due to inadequate examination reports and lack of nexus opinions.

The Veteran's cervical spine strain with degenerative spondylosis was denied as not caused by his in-service motor vehicle accident.,An increased rating more than 10 percent from January 26, 2015 and continuing thereafter for the lumbosacral spine disorder was denied due to limited range of motion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disorder, PTSD, and diabetes mellitus, type II have been granted. The decision on the merits is pending.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for hypertension and remanded other issues related to service connection. The Veteran's claims are also remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability, gastrointestinal disability, and respiratory disability. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, specifically his bilateral hip and knee strains. Service connection for the psychiatric disability is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, bilateral shoulder disability, left hip degenerative arthritis, right hand and left hand degenerative arthritis, right knee derangement and instability, and left knee derangement and instability. The reasons given were that there was no in-service injury or disease linked to these conditions, and the Veteran did not serve in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant withdrew it before a decision was made.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for left and right knee disabilities due to inadequate range of motion testing in the previous VA examination. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it may be affected by the outcome of the increased rating claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations due to insufficient evidence in his claims file, particularly regarding his Reserve service records and treatment records. The Veteran is also required to provide private medical records related to his knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims due to incomplete development of service personnel records and treatment records, including those related to National Guard service. The Veteran's conditions are left elbow, shoulder, knee, ankle, rib, abdominal pain, forehead scar, rash on face, forehead dryness, head injury, hyperventilation, asthma, cervical spine disability, left knee, hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether he can do so.