Knee Board decisions

Service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, secondary to service-connected tinnitus, is granted. The Veteran's current diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea is considered caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, right knee disability, and initial compensable evaluation for pseudofolliculitis barbae of the face.,For bilateral pes planus, the Veteran's pre-existing condition was not aggravated during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have increased in severity since her last VA examination, and she is therefore required to undergo new examinations to determine the current severity of her conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbar radiculopathy of the right lower extremity was denied, and his TDIU claim was granted.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right knee and left ear hearing loss were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Veteran's right knee instability is currently rated at 10 percent, effective September 12, 2018. The rating reflects the moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability of his knee.

Service connection for cervical spine degenerative joint disease is granted as secondary to service-connected lumbar spine, hip and knee disabilities. TDIU prior to July 22, 2013 is granted.

The Veteran's clothing was damaged by his service-connected knee braces, and he is granted a clothing allowance for 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand instructions and a need for an additional VA examination.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral knee disabilities and remanded the issue of service connection for low back disability. The decision is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided.

The Board has granted service connection for a right elbow disability and a left knee disability. The claim for higher initial rating of lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was reopened, and the claim is now granted. The initial rating for left knee chondromalacia remains at 10 percent, while the initial rating for right knee chondromalacia with posterior horn and meniscus tear remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left knee osteoarthritis was denied, as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 45 degrees or less, extension limited to 10 degrees or more, ankylosis, objective evidence of recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, impairment of the tibia and fibula, or genu recurvatum.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left knee surgical scars was denied as there were no other disabling effects not considered in a rating provided under Diagnostic Codes 7800-04.

The Board has remanded the case for further action due to unresolved issues regarding increased ratings for right knee disability and hyperthyroidism, as well as a petition to reopen service connection for rheumatoid arthritis. The Veteran's existing service-connected disabilities have not met the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate November 2016 VA examination. The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the appeal is for a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have made it impossible for him to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period.

The Board has withdrawn the right shoulder claim and remanded the left knee and bilateral knee issues for further development. The Veteran's representative withdrew his right shoulder claim, and the left knee disability claim is being reopened due to new evidence received since the last rating decision.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a compensable rating for scar of the right knee, finding no evidence of current disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for right hip disability, left knee disability, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity. The Veteran's assertions of continuity of symptomatology were largely not credible due to the absence of any report of symptoms until many years after separation from service.,The Board found no evidence of a right hip injury or disease during service, nor did it establish continuity of symptomatology since service.