Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for impaired fasting glucose was denied as it is not a disability for VA compensation purposes.,PTSD service connection was granted with an effective date of December 29, 2016. An earlier effective date prior to this date was denied.,An initial PTSD rating in excess of 10 percent was denied.,Bilateral pes planus service connection was granted with an effective date of April 29, 2011. An earlier effective date prior to this date was denied.,Service connection for a skin disability was denied.,Allergic rhinitis was granted as related to the Veteran's active service.,The claims for cervical spine and sinus disabilities were reopened.

The Veteran's appeal is for increased ratings and secondary service connection for various disabilities. The claims are being remanded to obtain new VA examinations.,The Veteran has multiple service-connected conditions, including bilateral pes planus, shin splints of the left and right lower extremities, lumbar spine disability, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral knee disability. He is seeking higher ratings for his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain and a right knee disorder, manifested by pain and stiffness. The claim for an initial compensable rating for the Veteran's left knee cyst is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cervical spine condition, lumbosacral strain, cervical spondylosis with herniated discs, left arm radiculopathy, bursitis of the left knee, and headaches, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to May 30, 2006.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further action on his claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral shoulder disabilities, bilateral knee disabilities, loss of vision, bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction due to service connection. The issues are related to whether these conditions began during or were caused by periods of active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left hip and left knee disorders may be related to his service-connected lumbar spine and right knee conditions, respectively. The claims are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back condition due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess whether the Veteran’s low back condition is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities of his lower extremities.

The Veteran's application to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for left knee DJD is granted. The Board finds new and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim, but remands it for further development including obtaining an opinion on whether his left knee DJD is related to his active service or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding the rating of his lumbosacral strain and total knee replacement.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for left hernia repair is dismissed. The Board has granted TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The appeals for increased ratings for lumbosacral spine, right knee, and left knee conditions are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disability as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability. However, it denied a TDIU prior to April 1, 2012 due to the combined rating of other disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 20% for symptoms of locking, pain and effusion since July 17, 2013. The rating does not change the existing ratings for instability or limited motion.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a left knee disability was granted. His major depressive disorder rating prior to November 17, 2016, is maintained at 10 percent; however, the rating after that date is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee and left knee patellofemoral syndrome (including osteoarthritis), finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence to support these claims based on lack of current disabilities or medical records indicating such conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various psychiatric and physical disabilities, including right shoulder pain, back pain, neck pain, left knee pain, right knee pain, sleep apnea, hepatitis C, kidney or renal failure, prostate cancer, and unspecified depressive disorder. The reasons provided include lack of in-service evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right lateral/medial epicondylitis and hyperlipidemia was denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of these conditions.,Service connection for PTSD, thoracolumbar spine IVDS and degenerative arthritis, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, left ankle sprain, cervical spine strain, right shoulder sprain, right shin splints, left shin splints, hemorrhoids, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome was denied. The Veteran's PTSD disability rating prior to September 27, 2012 was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations of various disabilities, as well as his claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD. The case is being returned to the RO for additional development.

The Veteran's left knee disorder is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion addressing his contentions of in-service injury and physical demands leading to current disability.