Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran's tinnitus is also rated at 10 percent and no higher rating is warranted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee conditions due to conflicting opinions on whether her PTSD symptoms caused her accidents resulting in these injuries.

The Veteran's hypertension and left knee disability are granted service connection, while the claim for a compensable rating for bilateral tinea pedis is denied.

The appeal for service connection of a psychiatric disorder is dismissed. The remaining issues related to left knee, right knee, left wrist, right wrist, lumbar spine, left foot, and right foot disorders are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and low back disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations. The claims are now pending for further review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The right knee bursitis and bilateral tinnitus cases are denied, while the other issues on appeal remain pending.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed left elbow cubital tunnel syndrome and left knee patellofemoral syndrome.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the cases of left knee, right knee, lumbar spine, and sleep apnea disabilities due to lack of in-service onset or relationship.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than July 27, 2012 for the grant of TDIU and DEA benefits. The Veteran was found to have met the criteria for eligibility for schedular consideration of TDIU since March 26, 2011, but his unemployability due to service-connected disabilities began in March 2011 if not sooner, which is more than one year prior to the filing of the TDIU application. As such, an earlier effective date for TDIU cannot be awarded.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and a right shoulder disorder, finding that the evidence did not support the Veteran's contentions of in-service injury or disease. The disorders were first diagnosed many years after service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his right and left knee disabilities, as well as a lumbar spine disability prior to December 14, 2015, were denied by the Board. The appeals are based on total bilateral knee replacements.

The Board has determined that additional VA opinions are necessary to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s claimed disabilities. The appeal is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings for his service-connected right knee DJD and instability have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability that is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The rating of 20 percent for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome was also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has determined that the January 1988 rating decision reducing the Veteran's left knee disability from 10% to noncompensable was based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE), and therefore, the 10% rating is restored.

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbar strain, right knee disability, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been denied. The Board found that the current diagnoses are not related to in-service events or conditions.,There is no clear evidence of a chronic condition during service, and any post-service arthritis is not shown as having started during service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee strain and remanded the issues of service connection for right ankle disorder and a compensable initial rating for right knee strain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee PFS and service connection for a left knee disability, to include as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.