Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran wishes to withdraw his appeals for increased ratings of somatic symptom disorder, nasal disfigurement, deviated septum, left leg sciatica, and right leg sciatica. The claims for increased ratings for a back disability and bilateral knee osteoarthritis are REMANDED for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and bilateral osteoarthritis of the knees, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be service-connected. The right knee and wrist disabilities are remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's current left thigh and knee conditions are related to his service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural defects, specifically the failure to issue a statement of the case for his claims of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, left knee disability, confusion, lack of concentration and depression (claimed as Gulf War illness), and chronic fatigue syndrome (claimed as Gulf War illness).

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating for moderate instability. The Board finds that this rating adequately reflects the severity and symptoms of his condition.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable, and his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new examinations and consideration of her claims for increased disability ratings and service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral athlete's foot, prostate cancer, PTSD, left knee disability, right knee disability, and low back disability are all service-connected. The diabetes mellitus claim is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right elbow degenerative joint disease, as well as left and right knee degenerative joint disease. The Veteran's reported military trauma is considered in determining the etiology of these conditions.,Service connection was also granted for macular degeneration of the left eye, but additional medical records are needed to determine its relationship with service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee and low back disabilities were aggravated by service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected metatarsalgia and ankle disabilities are alleged to have caused or aggravated his lumbar spine, right knee, left knee, and cervical spine disorders. The Board is remanded for a new examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disorder is not related to his military service and arthritis may not be presumed due to its onset more than one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling an appropriate VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right and left knee chondromalacia.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the right knee based on a finding that it is presumptively related to service, resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran. The other issues remain pending and are remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral knee and right wrist disabilities are presumed to be related to her service in Southwest Asia. The left hip disability is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is not related to service and is not caused by or aggravated by her service-connected right foot disability.

The Veteran's left knee disorder is related to his service-connected left shoulder disability.,The neurological disorder of the upper extremities (CTS) was not incurred in service and is not related by causation or permanent worsening to a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee, left hip, and right hip conditions are secondary to his service-connected left knee and lumbar spine disabilities.