Knee Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination, including obtaining private treatment records and a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of the appellant's left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, is related to his service-connected right knee disability and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disorder and a rating in excess of 10 percent for chondromalacia of the right patella. The left knee disorder claim is pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and lower back disabilities, finding that there was no evidence to support a secondary relationship between these conditions and his service-connected right leg disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining outstanding medical records and providing an updated VA examination. The TDIU issue is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip and left knee disabilities secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability. The tinnitus claim was denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current tinnitus and in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right third finger disorder has been reopened and granted. The claim for bilateral knee disorder remains denied, as new evidence does not relate to the unestablished fact necessary to substantiate it. Service connection for a chest disorder is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus and ulcers of the legs and feet are granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. Service connection for a low back disability, neck disability, and bilateral knee disabilities is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee conditions, as well as his chronic low back pain, are related to his active duty service. The Board also found that there is at least a 50% probability that the Veteran's sleep apnea is related to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred during service. The Veteran's patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee is currently rated at 10%. The Veteran's left wrist/forearm pain remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee arthritis prior to January 26, 2017 were denied as the evidence did not show that his knee conditions warranted a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the current nature, extent, severity and manifestations of her service-connected right knee disability. Additionally, she needs a VA examination to assess the likely etiology of any residuals from her gallbladder surgery in 1981.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and the identification of outstanding medical records.

Service connection is granted for thoracolumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left knee disorder, skin disorder on the right hand, and right foot disorder.,Service connection is denied for cephalgia as it is not secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that further development of the record is necessary to comply with VA's duty to assist and to ensure a full and fair adjudication of the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's right knee and left Achilles tendonitis disabilities are currently rated at their maximum allowable under the applicable rating criteria. The Board finds that these conditions do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating, and thus the appeal is denied.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 70 percent rating, effective from March 29, 2011 to July 31, 2012, and from May 21, 2014. The Veteran's TDIU based on PTSD was also granted during this period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the claims of service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the right ear hearing loss issue. The remaining claims were denied as there is no legal basis for a higher rating.