Knee decisions — 2017

The Board finds that the Veteran's back and bilateral knee disabilities are not related to his service. The medical evidence of record does not support a finding that these conditions began during or were otherwise caused by his military service.

The Board found no evidence of a current right or left knee disability and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and records of treatment. The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders are pending.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating and earlier effective date for his right knee disability have been denied. The current rating of 60% is appropriate from February 1, 2010 through September 23, 2010, and from November 1, 2011.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted with an effective date of August 1, 2009.,His right middle finger disability is rated noncompensably disabling.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA examinations and any available private treatment records. The claims will be reconsidered after the additional evidence is obtained.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including obtaining any outstanding treatment records and providing new VA examinations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for right knee contusion, hypertension, and a kidney condition. However, no new and material evidence was found for the claim of service connection for a kidney condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and treatment records, as well as consideration of his right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining SSA records and determining if an extraschedular TDIU rating on his service-connected disabilities prior to September 23, 2009, is warranted.

The Board has determined that the evidence submitted does not support reopening of the previously denied claims for service connection for a head injury with headaches, PTSD, and left/right hand disabilities. The Veteran's back disability is also not supported by the evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of her claims, including for a right fibula fracture, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral arthritis of the knees, bilateral arthritis of the hands, and a neck disability to include degenerative disc disease and/or arthritis of the cervical spine. Service connection was also granted for tinnitus.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to December 12, 2011 due to limitation of motion. A separate rating for genu recurvatum is granted from February 1, 2013 forward.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis and chondrocalcinosis of the left knee under DC 5258, effective June 2, 2017. The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, and he is entitled to a separate rating for instability of his left knee.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right hip and left knee disorders as secondary to his service-connected thoracic spine disability. The initial rating of 20% is maintained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current lumbosacral strain, right knee strain and left knee strain had their onset in service and are therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis and instability were evaluated, with the arthritis receiving a 10% evaluation prior to July 16, 2012, and the instability receiving a 30% evaluation effective September 1, 2013. The Veteran is not entitled to higher evaluations for these conditions.

The case is being remanded to reschedule the Appellant for a local hearing before regional office decision makers. The issues on appeal include service connection for cause of death, dependency and indemnity compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, left knee disability, and left hip disability.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's right knee disability prior to August 23, 2016, due to limitation of extension at 45 degrees or greater with painful motion. The Veteran does not have separate ratings for instability as his symptoms are compensated under the current rating.