Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for hypertension and entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, as well as his claims for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome of the wrists and right and left knee disorders. The AOJ is instructed to schedule a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge and obtain relevant medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities, as well as his right shoulder disability and right hand fracture, were granted initial noncompensable ratings in January 1993. The Board has determined that there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the assignment of these initial ratings, leading to a revision to grant separate 10 percent ratings for each joint affected.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, right hip bursitis, left hip tendonitis, right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and residuals of a chipped right elbow, combine for a rating of 50 percent or more. The combined rating is at least 70 percent, meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his left and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right knee was manifested by full range of motion, no functional impairment, and only subjective complaints of painful motion. The criteria for an initial compensable disability rating based on arthritis and limitation of motion have not been met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service records document an injury to his left knee during active service, and he reported recurrent left knee pain since discharge. The evidence is at least in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran currently has a left knee disability, variously diagnosed as left knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee synovitis, and degenerative changes of the left knee, which is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disabilities, including DJD and a medial meniscus tear, are not related to his military service. The disability is considered to be directly related to the in-service injury, but it did not manifest during or within one year after service.

The Board has granted service connection for certain conditions, including acid reflux, erectile dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorder, hiatal hernia, and kidney stones. The Veteran's claims are based on undiagnosed illnesses related to his service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Gulf War.

The Veteran does not have a current left knee disability for VA purposes and the preponderance of evidence is against his claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran has current diagnoses of left foot metatarsalgia and plantar keratosis, which are service-connected. However, there is no evidence of a current left knee disability or arthritis in service. The Veteran's left knee symptoms during service were attributed to arthritis, but x-ray evidence shows no current condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings of her service-connected right elbow and knee disabilities, finding that the July 2015 VA examination was inadequate due to its failure to specify additional limitation of motion due to flare-ups. The appeal is therefore remanded for a new examination.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability evaluation for his left foot disability is withdrawn. The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU based on the service-connected disabilities, including those of the right knee and left foot.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and left knee disabilities were not incurred in or related to service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a left or right knee disability that was incurred during his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an updated VA examination and ensuring compliance with the duty to assist.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining his VA vocational rehabilitation folder and a comprehensive examination to assess the functional effects of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was also not granted for a heart disability as the examiner did not provide an etiological opinion on the non-specific systolic murmur.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, including whether it is related to service or aggravated by a service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, low back, and bilateral hip disorders. The decision found that the pre-existing Baker's cyst of the left knee did not increase in severity during service and was not aggravated by service.