Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided were inadequate and remanded for further examination to determine if the Veteran has current diagnoses for his claimed disabilities, including pain with functional impairment. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for these additional evaluations.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating claims related to anxiety, bilateral hearing loss, a nerve condition, and a right knee disability. The Veteran's hypertension was not rated higher than 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's back pain is aggravated by his service-connected left and/or right knee Osgood-Schlatter's disease, and whether obesity served as an intermediate step in causing his back pain.

The Veteran is granted a separate 20 percent disability rating for his right knee meniscal tear, resolving the issue of entitlement to such.,His other issues regarding left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as they do not warrant higher ratings.

The Board has granted readjudication of the claims for bilateral tinnitus, left shoulder injury, right knee condition, and left knee ACL injury. The Veteran's claim for service connection for these conditions is being remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for right and left knee disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran is not entitled to higher ratings based on his current symptoms, as they do not meet the criteria for ankylosis or other specific diagnostic codes.

The Board has dismissed all the Veteran's claims as his death occurred during the pendency of these appeals.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting the VA definition.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety, is denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.,Claims for a back disability and right and left knee disabilities are also denied as there is insufficient evidence connecting these conditions to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and needs additional medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is granted as service-connected. The issues of increased ratings for the right elbow, back, left knee, and skin disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The initial 10 percent rating for scar, residual colon resection was granted.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee degenerative arthritis, as these conditions are considered manifestations of previously service-connected disabilities. The appeals for type two diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, urinary incontinence secondary to prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction secondary to prostate cancer or post-operative residuals of left knee Osgood-Schlatter's disease have been remanded due to the need for additional development regarding possible exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left knee, thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus have been dismissed due to procedural error.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis, finding that it is proximately due to his service-connected retropatellar pain syndrome of the left knee.

The Veteran's entitlement to a restoration of 90% disability rating for nuclear cataract and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy with macular edema, both eyes, is granted effective August 1, 2022. The earlier effective date claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance and/or housebound criteria is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as her conditions did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that there are errors in the duty to assist and remands several service connection claims for further development.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for a left knee disability is dismissed. The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a pulmonary condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a failure by the RO to reschedule VA examinations and provide appropriate assistance in developing his claim while he was on active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder and bilateral knee conditions, have rendered her in need of regular aid and attendance. The Board granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance after considering all relevant evidence.