Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess his current left knee condition and to address issues regarding effective dates.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a right total knee replacement is currently rated at 30% from August 1, 2016. The Board found that the evidence does not support an increase in rating beyond this level.

The Veteran is granted a separate 10 percent rating for slight instability of the right knee, and his existing 10 percent rating for painful flexion of the right knee remains unchanged.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The Board finds the Veteran has bilateral hearing loss, but remands for further audiometric testing to determine if it meets VA criteria and whether related to service. Service connection for left knee disorder is granted, while right knee disorder remains unresolved.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee comminuted patellar fracture, finding that it is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected residual stress fracture left heel with heel spur.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, and right wrist disorder due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions began during or are otherwise related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's left knee disability and left shoulder condition were denied as the current ratings do not meet the criteria for higher evaluations.,Service connection for sleep apnea was denied because there is no evidence of its onset in service or a relationship to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is a symptom of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss. Service connection was denied for the right knee disability due to lack of evidence linking the current condition to an in-service injury.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected right knee traumatic arthritis, finding that the Veteran's disability picture does not more nearly approximate the degree required for a higher or separate rating based on limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and a rating for tinea versicolor. The AOJ is instructed to obtain VA treatment records from 1977 to 2014.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to ensure an adequate record for the Veteran's appeal regarding his service-connected left knee disability. The case is being remanded for additional examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee status post total arthroplasty and a back condition due to new evidence added to the record since the May 2014 Supplemental Statement of the Case. The Veteran will be scheduled for an examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected left knee disability, including range of motion measurements during flare-ups and with repeated use over time.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right and left knee disabilities, both secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus, are remanded due to new evidence received since the final May 2008 rating decision.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left knee disability may be related to his service-connected right knee strain, and thus remands for further examination.

The Veteran's claims of PTSD, left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities have been dismissed as the appeal is withdrawn for the PTSD claim. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is a reasonable possibility of establishing service connection based on in-service injury and secondary aggravation. The claims are also granted as secondary to the service-connected right knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of a current right knee disorder in service or until years after service. The Board also found conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the right knee disability was related to his service-connected left knee and back disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including neck disability, right hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and right foot disability. The evidence submitted since previous denials does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination. The Veteran's right knee strain with meniscus tear and osteoarthritis claim is still pending, as is his respiratory disability claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further verification of the Veteran's service periods and readjudication. The main issue is whether the Veteran qualifies for nonservice-connected pension benefits based on his verified service, but a separate issue regarding service connection for a knee disability remains unresolved.