Knee decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Board hearing by live videoconference. The issues include service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.

The Veteran's right knee disability, following a total knee replacement and revision, is rated at 30 percent effective June 1, 2010. The reduction from 60% to 30% was not proper.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on all issues, and the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a back disorder, right and left knee disorders, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD. The decision also addressed other issues such as increased ratings for foot disabilities and entitlement to additional compensation benefits for dependent sons.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a qualifying left foot, ankle, or knee disability for service connection and denied all claims. The claim for right carpal tunnel syndrome was previously denied but new evidence received since the last denial is found to be material.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, DM, and PTSD. The Veteran's current conditions are presumed to be associated with his exposure to herbicide agents during service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during active duty service.,Service connection is granted for a low back disorder and left knee disorder, as these conditions were noted upon entrance into the Veteran's period of active duty service and further developed during his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of his right knee disorder and left hip arthritis, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the right knee claim and that there is no direct or secondary service connection for the left hip condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of any clinically ascertainable knee or ankle disability at the time of his separation from service.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea is denied. The Veteran has a CPAP machine, but does not have respiratory failure with cor pulmonale requiring a tracheostomy.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records. The issue of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for her right knee disability remains on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his left knee gouty arthritis did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent. The other issues were not addressed due to lack of information.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of medial and lateral meniscectomies of the left knee have been rated at 20 percent since January 25, 2002. The Board denied a higher rating for limitation of flexion.

The Veteran's right knee replacement surgery did not result in additional disability due to VA negligence or fault. The surgery was successful, but the Veteran experienced complications such as leg length discrepancy and instability.

The Veteran's service-connected Hodgkin's disease was granted with a rating of 30 percent.,Increased ratings for the right and left ankle disabilities were granted, each at a 20 percent rating effective February 7, 2011.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his right knee disability have been granted and maintained. He is currently rated at 20 percent for instability of the right knee since April 24, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to a material change in the Veteran's left knee disabilities and for obtaining additional VA and private treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disorder is primarily manifested by pain, tenderness to palpation, and limited motion. The VA determined that the current rating of 10% adequately reflects his disability.

The Board is remanding the case to consider the collective impact of all the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss disability, on his disability picture and whether it renders the schedular evaluations inadequate for an extra-schedular rating.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection was granted, and he is now receiving a 20% rating for his moderate chondromalacia of the left knee since the beginning of the claim. He also receives separate 10% ratings for painful motion of both knees.

The Board found that the Veteran's right thumb, right wrist, and bilateral knee disabilities did not have onset during active service or within one-year of service discharge and are not otherwise etiologically related to active service. The claims were denied.