Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension, claimed as high blood pressure, is dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for a right knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability and left knee strain, and denied his claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right knee total knee replacement.

The Board has denied service connection for a left shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and insomnia due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred during active duty. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for the Veteran's right knee condition due to a lack of evidence showing an increase in severity beyond its natural progression during service. The issue of service connection for the right-hand condition is remanded for clarification.

The Board denied initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for bilateral shoulder disabilities, lumbar strain, degenerative disc disease (cervical spine), chondromalacia of the left knee, patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, and right ankle disability. The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant higher ratings based on limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral knee condition, erectile dysfunction associated with chronic prostatitis, and initial compensable ratings for sinusitis with epistaxis (claimed as nose bleeds), environmental allergies, and sinus headaches due to incomplete information or need for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for right knee and low back disabilities due to lack of current diagnoses. The Veteran's subjective complaints were not supported by objective evidence.

The Board has denied a temporary total evaluation for 13 months due to the Veteran's partial knee replacement surgery. The case is remanded for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for his left knee disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is already at the maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent. The right knee disability and psychiatric disorders are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for low back, right hip, and left ankle disorders due to in-service treatment. The Veteran's leg length discrepancy was less than 1.5 inches, which limits the ability to establish a relationship between his knee disorder and other joints.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including shoulder, back, neck, hip, knee, foot, otosclerosis, tinnitus, heart, prostate, thyroid, diabetes, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and acquired psychiatric disorders. The reasons given are that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's chronic left shoulder rotator cuff tendinopathy is granted as incurred in service. The right knee and right foot disorders are denied as not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left great toe ulcer and subsequent amputation, foot ulcer, segmental joint dysfunction and lumbago with sciatica, left knee osteoarthritis, left ankle degenerative joint disease, and pseudofolliculitis barbae as secondary to his service-connected right knee and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus and a skin disorder, to include eczema, have been reopened. The sinus disorder claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition during or immediately preceding the appeal period.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding service connection for an acquired psychotic disability, right knee disability, and migraine headaches.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for posttraumatic mixed headache disorder is denied. The Board also remanded the issues of service connection for left and right knee conditions due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right knee DJD and right hip strain were denied. The Board also remanded the issue of whether a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) should be granted prior to November 30, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding that there was no evidence of chronicity within one year post-service and no competent medical opinion linking his current condition to his in-service injury.