Knee — all decisions

The Board denied service connection for GERD, a left knee disability, and a right knee disability as there was no evidence of an in-service disease or injury related to these conditions.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, a 10 percent rating for right knee arthritis with limitation of flexion prior to June 28, 2021, and a separate 30 percent rating for instability of the right knee. The claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right knee and PTSD were denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions as a pre-decisional duty to assist error was found, specifically regarding notice and examination.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 30 percent for bilateral foot disability, a rating in excess of 30 percent for left knee disability, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for lung disability. However, it granted an effective date of December 17, 2012, but no earlier, for the award service connection for limitation of extension of the left knee and left knee scar, and granted TDIU from January 17, 2013 to November 5, 2018.

The Board remands the claims for an initial compensable disability rating for headaches, service connection for adjustment disorder, and service connection for left knee pain due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, as well as an earlier effective date for tinnitus.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left and right knee osteoarthritis, and a TDIU prior to January 7, 2019.

The Board granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and IVDS, left hip osteoarthritis, and right knee osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss due to an inadequate VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for GERD and remanded the claims for bilateral ankle, knee, hip, headache, and lower back conditions due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted earlier effective dates, initial ratings, and increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for left knee instability from September 8, 2016 to July 18, 2018.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, back disability, bilateral achilles tendonitis, gout, diabetes mellitus, type 2 (DMII), obstructive sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include anxiety and depression. The Board denied increased ratings for right and left knee degenerative joint disease, separate ratings for instability of the knees, a separate rating for residuals of a right knee meniscectomy, and service connection for bilateral leg pain, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic sinus disability, respiratory disability due to exposure to asbestos, heart murmur, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased initial ratings and service connection, effective November 18, 2019.

The Board granted a 10 percent initial rating for left knee instability and right knee instability, denied higher ratings for left and right knee limitation of motion, and granted an earlier effective date for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Board remands the claims for service connection of bilateral knee disabilities and entitlement to TDIU due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in obtaining an adequate medical opinion.

The Board granted the application to readjudicate the previously denied claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions based on new evidence, but remanded both claims for a medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, a right knee disorder, a left knee disorder, a neck disorder, and chronic fatigue. The claims for obstructive sleep apnea, headache disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder were remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from July 7, 2017, but no earlier, to July 26, 2019, and he was granted basic eligibility for DEA benefits during the same period.