Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral degenerative changes of the knee. The claims for service connection for chronic rhinitis and an initial compensable rating for a deviated nasal septum are denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for recurrent prostatitis was granted. The claim for bilateral knee disability was denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and total disability rating based on service-connected disability due to inadequate examinations and further development of evidence is required.

The Board has remanded several issues, including service connection for myelitis (claimed as Guillain Barre syndrome), migraines, a low back condition, left knee chondromalacia patella and degenerative arthritis, and right knee chondromalacia patella and degenerative arthritis. The appeal is not about the initial rating for bilateral hearing loss or service connection for malaria.

The Board denied service connection for left knee, right knee, and left foot or ankle disabilities as well as an acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety disorder and PTSD) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for low back, left knee, neck, right shoulder, and left shoulder disorders. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,Service connection was also denied for a right knee disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for back problems, right knee disability, bilateral ankle condition, stomach problems, anxious symptoms, and sleep problems must be remanded due to incomplete or insufficient evidence. The issues of whether his neurological symptoms are related to his service-connected left knee disability also need to be addressed.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for hypertension and remanded the service connection claims for osteoarthritis of the left and right knees due to conflicting evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability was reopened, and he is now granted secondary service connection for a right shoulder disability due to his cervical spine disability. The rating for ocular rosacea with chronic conjunctivitis, blepharitis, and dry eye syndrome remains at 10 percent. A separate rating of 20 percent is granted for bilateral lacrimal duct disorder. Other issues are remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to new and material evidence, but the issue is remanded for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records from Panama City, Florida and providing a medical opinion on the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is not service-connected as it did not manifest during service or within one year of discharge and there is no evidence linking it to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left hip stress fracture, bilateral knee disability, and left leg fracture as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his period of active duty for training.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective date and initial rating for chronic right wrist sprain, as well as service connection for right knee iliotibial band syndrome, are being remanded due to the need for additional examination.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's disability evaluation for his right knee osteochondritis dissecans from 20 percent to 10 percent was proper, as there is evidence of sustained improvement in flexion under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee condition as due to service-connected right knee condition, and back condition as due to service-connected right knee condition. The claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,Service connection for tinnitus was not granted because the Veteran's tinnitus does not meet the criteria for an increased schedular evaluation under Diagnostic Code (DC) 6260, and extraschedular consideration is not warranted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of both issues, and the Board has dismissed them.

The Board has granted service connection for dermatitis. The cases of bilateral knee disability and an acquired psychological disorder are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis and meniscal tear are rated at 10 percent, with a separate 20 percent rating for dislocation of the semilunar cartilage. The criteria for higher ratings are not met.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches due to an in-service head injury and secondary to service-connected vascular dementia. The Veteran's joint pain conditions are denied as not related to service or a cold injury, and the scars on his left occipital area and right eyebrow are rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examination. The issues include hearing loss, sinusitis, rhinitis, COPD, headaches, sleep apnea, arthritis conditions, eye disabilities, circulatory problems, neuropathy, radiculopathy, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, hip disabilities, psychiatric disorders, lumbar spine disability, knee disabilities, and other unspecified conditions.