Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is service-connected as it is presumed to have been incurred during his active duty service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for spinal fracture, torn knee ligaments, and TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee lost motion, as well as recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral lower extremity arthritis, right knee disability, and hypertension due to potential herbicide exposure. The Veteran's hypertension claim is being remanded for a new VA medical opinion considering recent Agent Orange update.

The Board has granted an effective date of June 15, 2010 for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) on an extra-schedular basis. The Veteran's left hip and right knee disabilities have had a profound effect on his ability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 15, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder, secondary to his service-connected tinnitus, is granted. The other issues on appeal are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee status post-surgery with degenerative joint disease is being remanded due to inadequate examination and the need for additional records.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage from the Veteran's February 21, 2013 meniscal tear surgery. The ratings for left knee chondromalacia patella and traumatic arthritis remain at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing right knee disability was aggravated during service. The claim will be considered on the merits without requiring new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability, including residuals of an ACL tear, is related to his in-service injuries. The new VA medical opinion must consider the fact that an MRI detected the ACL tear not found on x-ray or physical examination during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected left knee limitation of motion and lateral instability, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Veteran's left knee strain is granted service connection. The initial rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to March 7, 2019 and from March 7, 2019 are both denied. The initial rating for dermatitis of the hands prior to March 21, 2019 is denied, but a 10% rating is granted from that date.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected bilateral knee disabilities require additional examination and development due to deficiencies in the July 2012 VA examination report. The AOJ is instructed to schedule a new VA examination, associate any outstanding records with the file, give the Veteran an opportunity to identify pertinent evidence, and then readjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's left knee disability was granted a rating of 30 percent effective November 21, 2018. The claim for increased rating is denied prior to that date.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to insufficient medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee condition, left knee condition, and degenerative arthritis of the spine with lumbar spondylosis have been granted.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss has been granted. The issue of service connection for right ear hearing loss is still pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for service-connected left knee injuries, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee patella chondromalacia and chondrocalcinosis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's initial increased ratings for arthritis of the left and right knees, as well as his hiatal hernia, were denied. The issues related to these conditions are being remanded for further development.