Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee gouty osteoarthritis.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a left knee disability but denied the right knee disability. The left knee disability is found to be not aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a temporary total rating and an increased rating for his right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of severe postoperative residuals warranting extended convalescence or impairment requiring a higher rating.

The Board has decided the appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and updated treatment records, as well as an opinion on whether the Veteran's current right knee disorder is related to her service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current left knee condition, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease, is due to an in-service injury and grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for additional vocational rehabilitation services as she has been employed in a stable position since May 2008 and does not have an employment handicap.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure. The Board also finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including CAD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorders are not related to his military service or service-connected disabilities, and thus denied the claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence being added to the claims file and incomplete medical opinions regarding service connection for left knee strain and left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected as they were first diagnosed after discharge from service and there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation. The Board finds that the Veteran did not have diabetes mellitus during service, nor was he exposed to Agent Orange while serving aboard a ship.

The Veteran's right knee symptoms, including pain (even in the absence of motion), weakness, stiffness, fatigue, buckling, swelling, and tenderness are already considered by his current ratings. Therefore, a separate rating under DC 5259 is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities are not related to his military service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 20 percent from October 1, 2007 to May 29, 2009. The Board found that the evidence did not show flexion limited to 15 degrees, which would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee degenerative arthritis and meniscal tear are related to his service-connected right foot strain and right knee disability, granting service connection for these conditions as secondary.

The Veteran's right knee disability was initially rated at 20 percent prior to February 10, 2009. The rating has been granted for subluxation and limitation of extension but denied for arthritis.

The Veteran's current sleep apnea was not manifest in service and is unrelated to service. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current low back disability, right knee disability, or left knee degenerative arthritis and his active duty service.,The Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea disorder is not related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left foot disabilities. The criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent were not met for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by limitation of flexion to at worst 45 degrees with no additional functional loss due to pain or other factors, does not warrant a rating in excess of the current 10 percent. The Board also found that he is not unemployable as a result of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right knee instability is currently rated at 10 percent, effective May 5, 2017. The Board finds that the Veteran met the criteria for a rating of 10 percent under DC 5257 for lateral instability prior to May 5, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee remains before the Board, and service connection is granted for a left knee disability as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.