Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities necessitate the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation based on this requirement.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for right knee disability and migraines, but has remanded them due to additional evidence being needed. The Veteran's asthma is also rated as a secondary condition of her left hip disability.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain records from Army hospitals in San Francisco, California, and Seoul, Korea, where the Veteran received treatment for his right knee disability during 1978-1979. The claim will be readjudicated after obtaining these records.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle and bilateral knee conditions are being remanded for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his disabilities, as well as for obtaining any relevant treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for mild strain, left knee.

The Veteran is granted an annual clothing allowance for 2014 due to the wear and tear of her service-connected left knee, back, and wrist/thumb braces on her clothing.

This appeal is dismissed. The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for the post-surgical status of his left knee menisci and cruciate ligament, as well as degenerative arthritis of his left knee, are dismissed. His claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for major depressive disorder is denied.,Entitlement to a compensable rating for post-surgical scars of the left knee is remanded. The Veteran's entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension is also remanded. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder is remanded, as well as whether the Veteran was properly compensated for his dependent spouse.,Entitlement to service connection for post-surgical scars of the left knee is remanded. The Veteran's entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension is also remanded. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder is remanded, as well as whether the Veteran was properly compensated for his dependent spouse.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and remanded the issues of service connection for chronic left knee disability and chronic right knee disability.

The Veteran's right foot disability does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation due to lack of functional impairment equivalent to amputation with prosthesis.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's left knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus (secondary to non-service-connected bilateral hearing loss), COPD, and heart disorders are all under review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and secondary service connection due to delays in processing. The issues include his mood disorder, back disability, radiculopathy of bilateral lower extremities, hip, knee, and foot disabilities.

The Board has remanded two issues: the initial rating for bilateral hearing loss and the eligibility for specially adapted housing. For the hearing loss, a new VA examination is needed to assess its current severity. For the specially adapted housing, an examination is required to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the criteria for such benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and hepatitis C were previously denied, but new evidence was submitted after his death. The Board found that the evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.,Service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to hepatocellular carcinoma metastatic and hepatitis C virus infection is denied as none of his service-connected disabilities were a principal or contributory cause of death.

Service connection for left knee arthritis is granted. A separate rating of at least 10 percent for limitation of motion associated with residuals of fracture of left tibia with patellar chondromalacia is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability was denied because the evidence did not establish that her current condition is related to her military service. The June 2008 rating decision found no diagnosed right knee disability and noted she failed to provide medical evidence of one.

The Board determined the Veteran is not entitled to an extraschedular rating for his service-connected low back disorder.,The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's right and left knee disorders are secondary to his service-connected low back disorder.,The preponderance of evidence also does not support a finding that the Veteran is unable to obtain and/or maintain substantially gainful employment due solely to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's OSA was not incurred in service and is not related to a service-connected disability.,A cervical spine disability was not incurred in service and is not related to a service-connected disability.,Service connection for bilateral knee gouty arthritis as secondary to service-connected gout is granted.,Service connection for left ankle gouty arthritis as secondary to service-connected gout is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection and increased rating for knee conditions, as well as a low back disorder.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee osteoarthritis and left knee degenerative joint disease were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 20 percent since August 18, 2012. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no limitation of motion or instability severe enough to warrant an increased rating.