Knee decisions — 2020

The Veteran's right knee strain is currently rated at 10 percent, and a separate 10 percent rating for limitation of extension with arthritis is granted. The left knee disability claim has been remanded due to the need for an opinion regarding its etiology.,Service connection for the left knee disability will be considered secondary to the service-connected right knee strain.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that his pre-existing condition did not worsen during service and there was no evidence of aggravation. The Board also found no medical nexus between his current right knee disability and his military service.

The Veteran's appeals include requests for increased evaluations and earlier effective dates for service connection. The Board has determined that the issues should be remanded due to new evidence submitted after a final decision.

The Veteran seeks TDIU and an earlier effective date for DEA benefits prior to March 22, 2012. The Board finds these issues are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU claim and remands both matters.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that it does not warrant a higher rating based on current symptoms and limitations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left foot and right foot disabilities, lumbar spine disability with radiculopathy of the lower extremities, as well as increased ratings for these conditions. The appeals are currently on appeal due to outstanding VA treatment records that need to be obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, left ankle, and left hamstring disabilities due to a lack of current diagnoses in the medical records.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for hiatal hernia with GERD and granted a TDIU, finding the Veteran unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, with a combined rating of 0 percent for both ears.,Both his left and right knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, back disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder are denied. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for these conditions as secondary to service-connected residuals of frostbite.

An effective date of January 1, 2009 is granted for the increased rating of the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, initial ratings for service-connected lumbar strain, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and right shoulder tendonitis, as well as a compensable rating for migraines, were denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected lumbosacral strain was also denied.

The Board granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability, but denied an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for service-connected left knee strain with internal derangement.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee and left ankle disabilities due to inadequate examination reports, including a lack of consideration of recent treatment records. The Veteran will need to provide updated private and VA treatment records, and he will be scheduled for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his back, left ankle, and right knee conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than what was currently assigned.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including sleep apnea, knee and shoulder disorders, foot fungus, and headaches. The Veteran is required to provide updated medical records and undergo examinations for his claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right knee, and left knee on a direct basis, finding that these conditions are as likely as not attributable to in-service injuries sustained while parachuting.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at a maximum of 60 percent, resolving all doubts in his favor.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right knee disability and back disability to obtain new VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's bilateral knee osteoarthritis, left shoulder arthritis, digestive issues (chronic constipation), and low back condition with lower extremity neuropathy were not shown as chronic in service or within the applicable presumptive period. Continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disabilities are not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus has been assigned a 10 percent rating, which is the maximum schedular rating authorized under Diagnostic Code (DC) 6260.