Knee Board decisions

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased ratings of left and right shoulder degenerative joint diseases, abdominal scars, and right knee instability. The claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss were denied. The Veteran's right knee instability was granted a 10 percent rating from April 18, 2013, and a 20 percent rating from May 31, 2018. The claims for femoral nerve radiculopathies are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left and right knee instability, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU). The issues are being remanded due to inconsistencies in medical evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's knee disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and remanded the increased rating claims for right knee, left knee, and psychiatric disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to May 14, 2012. The evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee and low back disabilities, finding that these conditions began during his military service and have persisted since then.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his lumbar spine and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examination and analysis.

The Veteran's initial rating for residuals of right wrist scaphoid fracture was denied, as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,A separate 20 percent rating for left knee meniscal tears is granted from July 8, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee instability and right knee instability due to inadequate VA examination. The GERD claim is denied as there are outstanding private treatment records that need to be obtained.

The Board has dismissed all issues of service connection for various disabilities as the Veteran did not allege specific errors of law or fact in the determinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a higher disability rating for his service-connected low back disability and denied his claims for service connection of right knee and left knee disabilities due to lack of current evidence of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information and need for additional medical opinions. The issues of PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, headaches, left foot disability, right foot disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability are all remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder due to new and material evidence. The claims for service connection for PTSD, left knee disorder, and low back disorder are all remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the reopening of the left knee disorder claim.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and a left ankle disability, both of which are determined to be etiologically related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for left knee sprain service connection and for service connection for a breathing condition, finding no current diagnosis of either condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of service separation and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology. The Board also found that the Veteran's current tinnitus was less likely than not caused by or a result of military noise exposure. Therefore, service connection for tinnitus has been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee and foot disorders, as well as his claim for a higher rating for lumbar strain due to inadequate examinations in prior decisions.

The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis as of September 6, 2010, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from all substantially gainful employment prior to December 2, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for hypertension, a rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle disability, or a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee patellofemoral syndrome. However, a 10 percent rating was granted for left knee degenerative joint disease effective January 7, 2013.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to VA's failure to obtain private treatment records from specific providers. The appellant is required to provide releases and obtain any relevant medical records.

The Board denied service connection for right knee disability and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, neurocognitive disorder (dementia)) due to lack of evidence supporting the existence of these conditions.