Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee strain with degenerative joint disease, right knee instability, left ankle disability (avulsion fracture with degenerative joint disease), and right ankle disability (avulsion fracture with degenerative joint disease) due to inadequate medical opinions regarding functional limitations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal disabilities are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for recurrent cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities are remanded due to the absence of a VA examination addressing these conditions.,Service connection is denied for right ear hearing loss, recurrent traumatic brain injury residuals, left ear hearing loss, recurrent cervical spine disability, recurrent lumbar spine disability, recurrent right knee disability, recurrent right ankle disability, recurrent left ankle disability, recurrent nasal disability, and recurrent gastrointestinal disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and arthritis, finding that his current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service injury.

The Veteran is granted effective dates of August 19, 2016 for his TDIU rating and disability ratings for left knee sprain (based on limitation of extension), instability, and flexion. He also qualifies for Dependents' Educational Assistance eligibility since that date.

The Board has determined that the AOJ failed to obtain all relevant medical records and conducted inadequate examinations for the Veteran's knee and ankle disabilities. The claims are being remanded to correct these procedural errors.

The Board granted service connection for right and left shoulder, elbow, and knee pain as due to an undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1117, and also granted service connection for a headache (tension) secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date were denied. The left shoulder strain was granted service connection with a 20% rating, effective August 16, 2022. The right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis claim resulted in a denial of any increase beyond the current 20% rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee osteoarthritis due to outstanding treatment records not being obtained.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for left knee severed medial collateral ligament and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) as there was a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error regarding obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Veteran's right shoulder strain, impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis are found to be service-connected. The lumbar spine disorder is denied as there is no current diagnosis prior to the filing of the claim. Other conditions such as painful scars, hand disorders, elbow disorders, knee disorders, traumatic brain injury, vertigo, cervical spine disorder, wrist disorders, arm disorders, hip disorders, shin disorders, ankle disorders, and foot disorders are also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in the service connection for right knee disorder and scar. The appellant's claims are related to his military service, but there is insufficient evidence to determine if any pre-existing conditions existed or worsened during his periods of active duty training (ACDUTRA).

The Board has remanded several service connection claims for further development, including those for pes planus, left wrist cyst disability, gastrointestinal disability (separate from chronic constipation), cardiovascular disability, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), fatigue disability, headache disability, left knee disability, back disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and right wrist disability. The gastrointestinal claim was expanded to include any gastrointestinal disability separate from the already service-connected chronic constipation.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and right knee strain (claimed as arthritis). The Board dismisses these issues.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed. The appeal for psychiatric disorder is being remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for various knee, ankle, and shoulder disorders as the evidence does not show current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis on a direct basis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service parachute jumping duties. Service connection for a left leg disability was denied as there was no evidence of such a disability.

The Board denied a higher disability rating for left knee strain with tendonitis, limitation of extension, as the evidence did not show that the Veteran's knee had limited extension to more than 15 degrees.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disability and a right knee disability, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for rhinitis is granted, while the claims for sinusitis, myopia, cervical spine disability with arthritis, erectile dysfunction, left ankle sprain and Achilles tendon disability, left shoulder sprain, right shoulder sprain, pulled groin, left knee strain, right knee strain, bilateral plantar fasciitis, right ankle sprain and Achilles tendon disability, left carpal tunnel disability, right carpal tunnel disability, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy (claimed as nerve damage), right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy (claimed as nerve damage), left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (claimed as nerve damage), and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy (claimed as nerve damage) are denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae is also denied.