Knee Board decisions

The Board has found that there was a duty to assist error and remanded the claims for service connection of cervical spine, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to their relationship with service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for left hip osteoarthritis and right knee condition due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran was not provided with an opportunity to submit records from his private physician, Dr. P.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for TDIU, which the Board has decided to remand due to insufficient evidence of unemployability by reason of service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of PTSD, right foot post operative residuals bunionectomy, and hypertension are being remanded due to the failure to obtain all relevant VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot, left foot, and left knee disorders due to inadequate VA medical opinions addressing direct service connection.

The Board has determined that no single service-connected disability other than PTSD with unspecified dissociative disorder alone precludes the Veteran from securing and following substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for a TDIU based on a single service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied in a prior rating decision, but the effective date of July 20, 2018, is restored.,For patellofemoral pain syndrome with shin splints (claimed as left knee condition), the effective date of July 20, 2018, is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the service connection claim for a right knee disability due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's lay statements and medical records indicate he experienced symptoms during service, but the VA examiner did not consider these in their opinion.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted with a 10 percent rating for limitation of extension, effective March 29, 2021.

The Board has decided that service connection for plantar fasciitis is denied. The remaining claims of service connection for allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, bronchitis with chronic cough, anxiety, depression, insomnia, headaches, acid reflux with nausea, benign prostatic hyperplasia with voiding dysfunction, kidney stones, cervicalgia, lumbago, sciatica, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral elbow epicondylitis, a left knee condition, and right knee strain are remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, and left knee disability due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits due to incomplete VA examinations in July 2020. The Veteran needs new examinations to assess his right knee and left ankle disabilities, as well as further development of his insomnia and anxiety disorders claim.

The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis, rhinitis, toenail fungus, hepatitis C, a left hand/thumb disorder, and right hand disorders. The claim for a right knee disorder is remanded due to the failure of the October 2020 VA examiner to discuss in-service treatment.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a compensable disability rating for bilateral knee instability were denied. The Board found that the June 2020 decision, which granted service connection for bilateral knee instability as a complication of already-service-connected knee disabilities, is final.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for any of the conditions.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates of November 1, 2019 for service connection to be established for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and status post left knee arthroscopy meniscus tear repair, and scar.

The Veteran's right knee condition and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease were granted service connection effective August 6, 1985.,The Veteran's RLE radiculopathy was granted service connection effective July 11, 2003. The LLE radiculopathy claim is denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosis prior to September 23, 2015.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right knee scar existed prior to service and if it was caused or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for chronic bronchitis is denied.,Service connection for a right knee disability is denied. The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left shoulder and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to conflicting evidence.,Service connection for a left shoulder disability, as well as for right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, are also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection of right and left knee conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.