Knee decisions — 2016

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, a sleep disorder (listed as sleep apnea), and residuals of a head injury. The decision also addressed his knee conditions but did not grant any benefits.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed foot, ankle and knee disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service. They may not be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examiner with an opinion regarding the relationship between his current knee disorders and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of VA treatment records. The issues include seeking higher initial ratings for PTSD, right ankle disability, and left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disorders, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease and thoracolumbar strain, are of service origin.,The Board has also determined that the Veteran's current right knee disorder, diagnosed as internal derangement of the right knee, is of service origin.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting examinations to assess his left elbow and right knee disabilities. The TDIU claim has also been raised.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was reduced from 20% to 10%, effective August 1, 2014. The reduction was proper as the condition did not improve such that a higher rating would be warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee disorder, back disorder, and left foot plantar fasciitis. The initial disability ratings assigned are as follows: a non-compensable rating for IBS and a 10 percent rating for right ankle sprain with tendonitis and right talus cyst.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting right wrist and right knee conditions were permanently aggravated by active service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

Service connection was granted for a disability manifested by shortness of breath and sleep apnea, but not for Meniere's disease. The Veteran's right knee arthritis is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, which the VA examiner concluded was less likely than not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current hearing loss, dizziness (vertigo), lung condition, cold weather injury residuals, and arthritis of hands, knees, feet, ankles, and hips are not related to his active service. Service connection for these conditions is therefore denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for postoperative residuals of a right knee disorder with traumatic arthritis and limitation of flexion of the right knee was denied. The Board found that the flexion limitation did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the severity of his bilateral knee disabilities, nature and etiology of any low back and bilateral hip disabilities, and whether he is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the evidence is in relative equipoise with respect to whether the Veteran's left ankle sprain and right knee disorder are related to service. Therefore, both conditions have been granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the current severity of her service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to June 1, 2015, and in excess of 30 percent since that date is denied. The issue of increased ratings for the right knee disability is pending.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal of all issues, including the increased disability rating for cervical strain and service connection claims. The Board has dismissed these issues.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and further development.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional examination to determine the extent of her service-connected disabilities' impact on her employability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of his bilateral knee, right hip and back disorders as secondary to a service-connected left femur fracture. The VA examinations found no evidence linking these conditions to military service or any service-connected disability.