Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is denied as there is no current left knee disability for which service connection can be granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service. Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral knee disorder, and low back disorder.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of a bilateral hip disability, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 were not met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities of the right knee, left knee, or right hip. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 10 percent, and his right and left ankle sprains have each been rated as noncompensable. The appeals for higher ratings are denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, as well as scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral knee disorders are related to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a videoconference hearing. The issues of rating the left long finger fracture and bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, as well as seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD and sleep problems), are pending.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability and bilateral knee disabilities, as new and material evidence has been received. The claim will be further evaluated on its merits.

The Veteran's knee and back disabilities do not qualify for a clothing allowance as the braces did not tend to wear or tear her clothing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple joint pain, OSA, headaches, neck disability and right knee disability were denied as they are not related to service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has been granted.,Her claim for an increased evaluation for her stress reaction of the right talus and fibula was denied.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his right knee disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent for limitation of motion or recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, and also did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent for dislocated cartilage.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for his right knee degenerative joint disease, status post total knee replacement.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination and opinion regarding the severity of his service-connected knee disabilities, as well as an evaluation of whether he is unemployable due to these conditions. The issues on appeal include increased ratings for right knee limitation of extension, right knee limitation of flexion, left knee DJD, and TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, and the Board finds that these ratings are not warranted for higher evaluations based on current symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The issue of a higher initial evaluation for a right knee disability is moot.

The Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to VA treatment, and the Board finds no evidence of a nexus between his service and the condition. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 must be denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before a decision can be made on the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and bilateral knee disabilities. The case is therefore REMANDED to schedule the Veteran for a DRO hearing, obtain German medical records, and provide him with an additional VA examination.