Knee decisions — 2016

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 20 percent prior to September 1, 2010 and has been restored to a 20 percent rating effective that date.

The Veteran's knee disabilities have been evaluated based on their current manifestations, and the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability, to include as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability was denied because he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues except the right shoulder replacement with osteoarthritis. The Board dismissed the appeals of the remaining issues.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and hemorrhoids, but denied the claims for left and right knee disorders due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and for effective dates prior to March 9, 2007, and September 28, 2010, for right knee disabilities. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Veteran's December 14, 2012 statements do not constitute a valid Notice of Disagreement (NOD) or new claim for CUE as to the March 1971 rating decision. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his service-connected DJD of the right knee has been denied. The evidence does not support a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to October 1, 2012 or 30 percent since that date.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the lack of a Statement of the Case for the issue of payment of CRSC/CRDP. The case must be returned to the Board only if the Veteran perfects his appeal.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's motions alleging clear and unmistakable error in the December 2011 Board decision were dismissed due to the Court's August 2013 Memorandum Decision affirming the Board's decision, which became final.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, including his meniscus tear and osteoarthritis, was not incurred in or caused by an in-service event or injury. The VA examiner found no link between the current diagnoses and the Veteran's service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for left knee, right knee, and low back disabilities as well as his claim for service connection for hemorrhoids. However, no new rating assigned as the evidence does not warrant a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability, including residuals of right knee surgery, is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active military service and arthritis of the right knee was not shown to have manifested within one year from the date of his separation from the military.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a left knee disorder and nonservice-connected pension. The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information regarding his treatment records and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and earlier effective date for service connection were granted, resulting in a total disability rating of 40 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current left ankle disability and denied her claims for service connection. The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome has been rated at 10 percent, but no higher, due to painful noncompensable limitation of motion. Similarly, the Veteran's left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome has also been rated at 10 percent, but not higher, for similar reasons.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the increased evaluations of left knee disabilities and earlier effective date for right hip disability prior to a decision being made.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee prepatellar bursitis, but the case is remanded to determine if any other diagnosed right knee disorders are related to service or aggravated by the service-connected prepatellar bursitis.