Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral ankle and knee disabilities, finding that they are related to his active military service.

The Veteran's right and left knee disorders, as well as his neurological disorders of the lower extremities and headaches, are found to be related to service. His bilateral foot disorder is not considered due to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA medical examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current left knee pain and his service.

The Veteran's claim for a restoration of a 10 percent rating for left knee instability from January 21, 2015 was granted. The effective date is set to that day.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment prior to March 27, 2014. After that date, no single disability is rated as 100 percent disabling or solely responsible for his inability to work.

The Board denied service connection for lower back and left knee disorders on the basis that there was no evidence of a nexus between the current conditions and military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease, finding that the Veteran's right knee condition is proximately due to his service-connected left knee.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depressive disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The back and knee disabilities are remanded for additional examination.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, effective the day of the examination. The right knee disability remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability due to insufficient consideration of his lay statements and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran to provide updated medical records and for a VA examination to assess her need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to her service-connected disabilities. The appeal is not about service connection, but rather the determination of whether she qualifies for these benefits.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of left knee hemiarthroplasty residuals is denied. The Board has remanded the issues regarding service connection for right knee and ankle conditions, as well as diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. However, the knee condition requires further examination as there are no current VA examinations or opinions regarding its etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims for TMJ and TDIU are being remanded due to outstanding records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and a TDIU rating is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his post-status left knee replacement is denied. The RO assigned a 60% evaluation beginning May 23, 2015, and the Veteran's claim was filed after this effective date.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disability, left knee disability, and tinnitus. The claim for service connection of schizoaffective disorder is remanded.,There are no specific details provided regarding the exposure basis or rating assigned.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability, finding that the Veteran's right knee condition began during active service and is less likely caused by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right knee disorder and left knee disorder due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's knees are being evaluated in relation to his bilateral ankle condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities have been denied. The claim for the right knee disability was previously denied in October 1979, and new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. For the left knee disability, it was found to be preexisting and not aggravated by service.