Knee Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, upper and lower respiratory disability, bilateral knee degenerative changes, left elbow epicondylitis; olecranon bursitis, muscle injuries, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension (claimed as high blood pressure), GERD, and erectile dysfunction. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of any of these conditions or that they were related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at zero percent and noncompensable, effective from September 27, 2007.,The Veteran’s shell fragment wound of the left leg and knee with moderate instability of the knee, mild internal derangement, and mild muscle injury, muscle group XII, is currently classified as moderate and rated at 10 percent, effective from May 1, 1993. The Board determined that his condition more closely approximates a moderate muscle disability.,The Veteran's hepatitis C is rated at 10 percent, effective from November 20, 2002. The medical evidence shows intermittent fatigue, malaise, and anorexia without weight loss or hepatomegaly.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical examination and failure to provide adequate reasons and bases for the rating assigned. The Veteran's left knee disabilities are being reviewed again, with a focus on functional loss during flare-ups and whether his posttraumatic tricompartmental degenerative joint disease warrants a separate rating under Diagnostic Code 5262.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for a right knee disability, residuals of heat exhaustion, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, heart disability, rashes on upper arms and lower legs, residuals of insect bites, and residuals of a head injury. The reasons include incomplete medical records and the need for further examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD and cervical spine disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted TDIU based on the benefit of the doubt.

The Veteran's appeal was timely filed, and the Board found that his claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted.

The Board has denied service connection for cold injuries and depression. The claims of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for bilateral flat feet, generalized primary osteoarthritis, knee replacement resulting from bone cancer, hypertension, prostate cancer, diabetes, and migraine headaches are remanded due to missing service treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial disability ratings for tinnitus, PTSD with major depressive disorder prior to March 7, 2016, lumbar arthritis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and left ear hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal for tinnitus. The remaining issues are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including low back injury, bilateral hip injuries, and knee disorder. The claim for respiratory disorder due to in-service asbestos exposure was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left knee condition, right knee condition, fecal incontinence, IBS, and urinary incontinence, all of which were deemed not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability is likely related to his military service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis of the right knee as there was insufficient evidence to show that it had its onset in service, manifested within one year of separation, or is otherwise related to service.

The Veteran became unable to work due to his service-connected disabilities on September 15, 2012. His TDIU was granted effective from that date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, depression, anxiety, and mood disorder, is also denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence corroborating the claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a neck condition, bilateral knee conditions, and bilateral feet conditions due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran should be afforded VA examinations to determine the etiology of her claimed disabilities.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left knee condition may have existed prior to service and needs further examination to determine if it was aggravated by service or incurred during service.

The Veteran's claim for a separate rating of 20 percent for impairment of the sciatic nerve due to his above-the-knee right leg amputation is granted, as he has moderate pain extending from his low back down through the remaining portion of his right lower extremity.

The Board denied service connection for cervical DDD, multiple joint arthritis (right shoulder and bilateral knees), left knee replacement, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and hammer toe as the evidence did not show these conditions began during a period of active duty or training.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection claims for various disabilities, as well as a TDIU claim and an earlier effective date claim for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease. The appellant is required to provide updated VA treatment records and identify any outstanding private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of his service-connected cervical spine, left knee, and ankle disabilities have been dismissed. The appeal for PTSD with ADHD has also been dismissed. However, the Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded.