Knee decisions — 2016

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, service connection for a back disorder, service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, and service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities due to new evidence of worsening symptoms since the last examination in July 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for undiagnosed left knee, right knee, right wrist, and left shoulder joint pain as due to a qualifying chronic disability under the provisions of the Persian Gulf Veterans' Act.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to missing documents and the need for a new VA examination of his right knee.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, bilateral hand rash, and an eye disability (claimed as loss of eyesight) were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis for any of these conditions and noted that the Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to establish a nexus between his claimed disabilities and service.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise with regards to whether the Veteran's current right knee osteoarthritis is related to an incident during his active duty service in September 1976. Service connection for a right knee disability, including subluxation, has been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability did not worsen beyond its natural progression during service, and therefore, he is not entitled to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran does not have any current cold injury residuals and the Board finds that his symptoms are more likely due to post-service conditions rather than service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury is pending. The restoration of the 30% rating for right knee post-operative residuals of instability was granted, but no separate rating in excess of 40% for limitation of motion from November 18, 2009, was granted.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 100%, rendering him eligible for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). However, as he already has a total rating due to the combined effects of all his service-connected disabilities, he cannot be granted TDIU based solely on these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine, bilateral shoulder, and bilateral knee disorders did not manifest in service or within one year thereafter and are not otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is not service-connected, and his claim for a higher evaluation of his left ring finger disability remains denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing right knee disorder was aggravated by his service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right knee disability was evaluated as 20 percent disabling from May 1993 to September 26, 2003. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for this period.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for cervical degenerative disc disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, or headaches prior to December 6, 2013.

The Veteran's right knee disability has not been manifested by flexion limited to 30 degrees, moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, or extension limited to 15 degrees. As such, the criteria for higher ratings under Diagnostic Codes 4.71a, 5260, and 5261 have not been met.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for left knee disabilities has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for the claimed conditions and assigned an initial disability rating of 10 percent, effective from the date of the decision.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and further development of his claims.