Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claims for service connection of his right and left knee disabilities, as well as an initial compensable evaluation for eczema of the legs, are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for additional examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not service-connected due to misconduct during the June 1991 in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected knee and back conditions, as well as hypertension, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current residuals of in-service motor vehicle accidents other than those related to his left rib fractures. The psychiatric disorder is also denied as there is no evidence linking it to service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeal was partially granted, with a 20 percent rating for dislocated semilunar cartilage (meniscus) of the right knee as of June 27, 2010. The claim for a higher rating for degenerative joint disease of the right knee remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability and whether a separate rating is warranted under 38 C.F.R. § 4.71a, DC 5259 (cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic).

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his knee conditions and TDIU was granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, migraines, diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary artery disease, lumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right hip disorder, and left hip disorder. The claims were not reopened as new and material evidence was not received.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is due to acoustic trauma in service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new VA examination and additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA examinations and adjudicating his temporary total disability rating claim.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and denied an increased rating for left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a separate rating for right knee instability were denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development and adjudication due to non-compliance with prior remand directives.

The Veteran has withdrawn all appeals, including those for service connection and disability ratings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding his claimed disabilities, including schizophrenia and other musculoskeletal issues. The Board will consider the evidence in its entirety during the remand process.

The Board found that the Veteran's right leg disorder, diagnosed as osteoarthritis of the right knee, was not incurred during active service or due to a service-connected condition. The claim for higher rating for his right ankle disability was also denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent for patellar tendonitis and osteoarthritis, but the evidence does not show that her range of motion has been limited to a degree warranting an increased rating. The sacroiliac tendonitis issue remains unresolved.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities prior to the effective dates of June 10, 2010 (left knee) and January 4, 2011 (right knee) have been granted.