Knee decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, headaches, and dizzy spells are service-connected. The decision grants these claims with a 20% rating for the left knee disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its onset in service and is therefore granted service connection.,Service connection for the right knee disability is granted as it was aggravated by service, with a current diagnosis of degenerative joint disease with patellofemoral syndrome.,A new VA examination is required to determine if the Veteran has bilateral hearing loss that meets the criteria for a hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the increased disability rating for medial degenerative arthritis right knee.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA audiology examination to determine if the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for updated VA examinations and clarification of certain issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a new VA examination of his psychiatric disorder. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right knee disability, including arthritis and instability, are being remanded due to the need for additional development of the record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is related to his active service, and therefore grants service connection for a low back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of right shoulder or right knee disabilities, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, effective from January 10, 2007. His CAD is rated at 60 percent, shell fragment wound to the left lower extremity at 30 percent, scars with retained fragments on the right temple and occiput at 30 percent, and scars of the left foot, left knee and lower leg (right amputation stump) at 10 percent. The Board has granted TDIU effective from January 10, 2007.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability, neurologic abnormality of the left upper extremity, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, lumbar strain, and cervical spine disability have been granted. The TDIU claim is also granted.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion to address whether the Veteran's service-connected right leg disability aggravated his claimed left knee and back disorders, as well as if his back disorder is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his left knee disorder.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the reduction in the rating for his right knee posttraumatic arthritis from 40 to 10 percent, effective February 1, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a scheduling issue for a Board hearing. The main issue remains the rating of his right knee bursitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disorder, including osteoarthritis, is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's sleep apnea, bowel dysfunction, cervical spine disability, thoracic and lumbar degenerative disc disease with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and left knee disability were not related to his military service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and service connection have been granted, with a specific focus on his left knee post-operative residuals with arthritis and right knee disorders. The Veteran was awarded a 60% rating for both the left knee replacement and total right knee replacement effective as of September 1, 2014, and December 1, 2015 respectively.

The Veteran seeks an increased disability rating for his service-connected left knee chondromalacia patella, status post reconstruction. The Board has determined that a new examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current chondromalacia of the left knee and right knee disability are not related to his National Guard service, and have denied both claims.