Knee Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee strain before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's disability evaluation from 20% to 10% was not proper and has restored the 20% rating effective November 1, 2015. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability was a contributory cause of his death, and the Board has granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral leg disability, to include knee arthritis. The claim for service connection for a concussion, to include residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), is remanded due to outstanding medical records.,Service connection was not granted as there is no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or bilateral leg disability in accordance with VA standards and the Veteran's claims are based on direct service connection. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for a higher rating of his service-connected left knee disability is denied.,The Veteran does not have a compensable rating for the service-connected left knee scar.,The Veteran is granted TDIU on a schedular basis from March 15, 2013. However, the issue of whether he should be granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to that date remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for chronic left knee sprain with minimal DJD, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear employment status and incomplete functional impact assessments of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is instructed to complete additional development, including determining work history and income during the appeal period, obtaining opinions on the functional impact of the Veteran's disabilities, and scheduling the Veteran for examinations.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hemorrhoids is granted. The Board remanded the claims for right hip and right knee disabilities due to potential secondary effects from a service-connected right foot disability.

The Board has denied all service connection claims for various conditions, including nerve damage, tinnitus, bipolar disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee disability, carpal tunnel syndrome, gastritis, bilateral hearing loss, and fibromyalgia. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that there may be outstanding VA and private treatment records relevant to the Veteran's claims on appeal, including those from the 1970s and 1990s. The claims are being remanded for the purpose of obtaining these records.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has denied an increased rating in excess of this amount.

The Veteran's service connection for restless leg syndrome was granted. The claim for a dental condition for compensation purposes is denied, and the issue of an earlier effective date for right knee arthritis disability rating remains pending.,Service connection for a dental condition for treatment purposes is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress secondary to a service-connected tear of the rectus femoris muscle with healed scarring, low back disorder, right knee and hamstring disorder, right hip disorder, and left ankle disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a bilateral foot disability, bilateral knee disability, and lumbar spine disability due to insufficient medical opinions and need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities make him unemployable, and the Board has granted a TDIU effective from March 23, 2007.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection, increased evaluations, and TDIU due to inadequate examinations in previous remands. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a bilateral hip disability, increased evaluations for his lumbar spine, right knee, and right shoulder disabilities, and TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected unequal leg length is granted. The rating for tinnitus remains at 10%. A new compensable rating of 10% is assigned for the right knee surgical scar. Service connection for right ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee condition and back condition, both of which are found to be not related to his service-connected right knee condition.,There is no credible evidence linking the Veteran’s current left knee or back conditions to his military service.