Knee decisions — 2014

The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis and torn medial meniscus with recurrent effusions are currently rated at the maximum allowable under current VA regulations. The slight lateral instability is separately evaluated.

The Veteran is granted service connection for a left knee disability and assigned a 10 percent evaluation effective April 27, 2009.,An earlier effective date of April 25, 2002 for the award of a 10 percent disability evaluation for the service-connected left knee disability manifested by atrophy of the left muscle groups XIV and XII is granted.,A separate initial 10 percent disability rating for the left knee disability manifested by lateral instability since April 27, 2009 is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance was denied because the evidence did not show that his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities caused wear and tear on his clothing.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized as postoperative residuals of a traumatic right knee injury with excision of bone chips and fluid, is currently rated at 10 percent. The VA examination revealed arthritis, intermittent pain, full extension, and flexion limited to no worse than 135 degrees, even considering excess fatigability and pain. The Board finds that the criteria are not met for a higher rating.

The Veteran's right knee disability, post-total knee arthroplasty, has not resulted in ankylosis or nonunion of the tibia and fibula. The pain and limitation of motion have been found to be within normal limits for a 30 percent rating.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral knee disability that is related to service, and therefore, denies his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, finding no evidence of a chronic condition related to military service more than 20 years ago. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's current right knee pain was less likely caused by his in-service injury.

The Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee, may be related to his service-connected left knee disability. The Board has ordered a remand for further development and an examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right knee disability that was incurred or aggravated during active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, arthritis of the right knee, and sleep apnea were denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected chronic low back strain and bilateral tinnitus, as well as her claim to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for hearing loss. The decision also addressed issues of service connection for various other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including back disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, right knee disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and joint disability. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the relationship between his service-connected lumbar spine disability and his bilateral knee disability, as well as whether his combined disabilities render him unemployable.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, urethral discharge, bilateral knee arthritis, sinusitis, stomach cramps and bleeding ulcer with blood transfusion are all denied as the evidence does not support a finding of in-service disease or injury that led to these conditions.

The Veteran's left knee instability is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5257.,The Veteran's right knee painful limited motion is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5260.

The Veteran's PTSD, peroneal nerve disability, left hip strain, internal derangement of the left knee, and lumbar spondylosis with degenerative disc disease are all rated at their maximum allowable levels. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

All claims for increased ratings were denied by the Board in its decision dated August 19, 2014.

The Board found that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees was not present until after his discharge from active duty, and is not related to service or any incident of service origin, including exposure to cold weather in Germany.