Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right elbow strain, and right shoulder strain based on the benefit of the doubt doctrine. The Veteran's chronic symptoms were reported during service and continued post-service.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for TDIU, increased rating for allergic rhinitis, and service connection for a right knee disability were denied. The Board found that the Veteran was not in marginal employment with a protected environment, thus his claim for TDIU could not be granted earlier than October 20, 2017. For the allergic rhinitis claim, the evidence did not show polyps, which is required for a higher rating. Regarding the right knee disability, the Board found that there was no causal relationship between the condition and service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for service-connected allergic rhinitis has been denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability with hyperextension and instability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective March 1, 2023. The Board has granted an additional one month of SMC for convalescence through March 31, 2023.,Service connection for a respiratory disability remains pending as the appeal was remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of service connection for left knee disability as a matter of law due to procedural issues.

The Veteran's claims for left and right knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, ovary disability, PTSD, and headaches have been dismissed as moot due to the issuance of a July 2023 rating decision granting these conditions.,No current diagnoses were found for the claimed ovary disability, PTSD, or headaches.

The Board has denied service connection for left, right knee conditions and lower back condition. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, asthma, rhinitis, and sinusitis are remanded due to the need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, as well as pansinusitis and rhinitis, were granted service connection effective from September 23, 2019.,Pansinusitis and rhinitis are presumed to be related to the Veteran's military service in Kuwait.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete STRs and the need for VA examinations. The AOJ must attempt to obtain all missing STRs, provide the veteran with VA examinations for his knee disabilities and pseudofolliculitis barbae, and then readjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left knee disability is denied. A separate 10 percent rating for symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage of the left knee is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection claims for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities. The effective dates for the increased ratings of left and right knee instability and arthritis are granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hand and knee degenerative arthritis due to insufficient evidence in STRs or current treatment records, and a new examination is required.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee osteoarthritis, effective from April 16, 2022. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injuries and his current diagnoses.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, ankle, and foot disorders as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left and right knees, finding that symptoms were chronic in service and continuous since service. The decision is based on presumptive service connection due to a disease listed under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(a).

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain but has remanded the claim of service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease L5-S1 due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 0 percent for left knee scars, finding the persuasive weight of the evidence against the Veteran's claim due to lack of painful or unstable scars affecting more than 6 square inches (39 square centimeters).

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee arthritis, and right knee arthritis are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The VA is required to attempt to obtain outstanding treatment records from the Granbury VA clinic and reschedule a VA examination for his claimed bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and errors in obtaining opinions. The issues of low back strain, left knee condition, and left hip condition are being reviewed.

The Veteran's somatic symptom disorder, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis (claimed as sinus condition), carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity, gastroenteritis, hemorrhoids, iliopsoas tendinitis of the right hip, irritable bowel syndrome, left ankle condition, left flatfoot, left knee condition, right ankle condition, right flatfoot, right knee, sleep apnea, and varicose veins of both lower extremities are all granted.,The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis (claimed as sinus condition), carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity, gastroenteritis, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and varicose veins of both lower extremities are remanded.