Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The other issues on appeal have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error in the July 2019 VA examination report, and the Veteran's left knee disability is being evaluated again.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for polycythemia vera, adjudicated as 'adult leukemia,' is granted. The claim for a rating greater than 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, anxiety, and depression) and a left knee disorder are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and low back disorders due to their grant during the pendency of the appeal. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has denied higher ratings for various conditions, including left knee degenerative arthritis and right shoulder arthralgia/arthritis. The issues of entitlement to a separate rating for the left knee meniscus condition and an initial compensable rating for the left knee scar have been addressed. The case is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's recurrent nosebleed is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating as there was no indication of a complete loss of smell.,The Veteran's right hand second finger disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating due to normal range of motion with no evidence of ankylosis or loss of use.

The Board denied the appellant's request for attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the October 2022 rating decision, as the claims were not appealable initial decisions and did not involve new evidence or a change in circumstances.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, including degenerative arthritis and meniscal tear. The decision finds that the Veteran's current left knee disability is related to his in-service injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee condition, vision impairment, tinnitus, and hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's ED is caused by medications taken to treat his service-connected lumbosacral strain disability. The Board grants service connection for ED on a secondary basis.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, hypertension, and a neck disability. The remaining issues of service connection for right ankle, left ankle, left knee, right knee, rib, left leg varicose veins, and right leg varicose veins are remanded for further development.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal due to a request from their attorney, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, left knee and ankle injuries, tinnitus, right knee strain, and other conditions, are sufficient to produce unemployability. The Board granted the TDIU based on the combined rating of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial disability evaluations are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations, review of outstanding records, and application of the combat presumption.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination findings and a need for further evaluation of the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left TKA s/p meniscectomy with arthritis as secondary to his service-connected right TKA, finding that the current disability was aggravated by the service-connected condition.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the July 2023 rating decision granted service connection for a right shoulder condition, right knee condition, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The AOJ needs to obtain any outstanding VA and private medical records from 2018 to 2021 that may be relevant to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for her right knee disability, service connection for left knee disorder, bladder disorder, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. Additional examinations are required to determine the current severity of her right knee disability and the etiology of her left knee, bladder, and GERD disorders.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral cataracts, bilateral dry eye syndrome, and migraine headaches have been granted with effective dates of May 10, 2022.,Claims for cancer of the right tonsil, amyloidosis of the right leg, amyloidosis of the left leg, a right knee disability, and varicose veins of the lower extremities were denied.