Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development and consideration of the new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is related to an injury sustained during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine and left knee disorders did not begin during service or are related to service in any other way.,Service connection for these conditions cannot be granted as secondary to a left ankle condition, as this issue was previously denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted, with the right knee extension rating being extended to November 30, 2001. The left hip and right hip myofascial syndrome claims are pending.

The Board has ordered additional development to assess the combined effect of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employability. The case is REMANDED for this purpose.

The Veteran's right knee condition is currently rated at 10 percent for arthritis and instability, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as there is no evidence of ankylosis or other disabling conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for automobile and adaptive equipment or for adaptive equipment only, as she does not have ankylosis of one or both knees or hips, nor does she have actual remaining function in her left foot that could be accomplished equally well by an amputation stump with prosthesis.

The Board found that the Veteran's right elbow disability was not incurred in or caused by service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 30 percent prior to January 15, 2014 for instability and arthritis with limitation of motion. Since March 1, 2015, the Veteran is entitled to a rating in excess of 30 percent for his status post total knee replacement.

The Veteran's right knee disorder is currently rated at 20 percent for dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of 'locking,' pain, and effusion into the joint. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his symptoms are already addressed by the current rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable, as his difficulties were due to business financial issues rather than his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right and left knee conditions, including residual instability and osteoarthritis, are rated at 30 percent each under the direct service connection criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and joint pain have been denied due to his refusal and failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's right knee DJD was rated at 10 percent prior to August 17, 2005. A separate 20 percent rating for instability is granted.,Effective from October 1, 2006, the Veteran received a 50 percent rating for his right knee DJD and a 30 percent rating thereafter.

The Veteran's knee conditions, including degenerative joint disease and lateral instability, are currently rated at 10 percent each prior to the date of his total knee replacements. A separate 10 percent rating for lateral instability is granted.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen his service connection claims for various conditions has been dismissed due to the appellant's withdrawal of all issues on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for GERD and denied service connection for hypertension, left knee disability, and gastric ulcer.

The Veteran's back disorder is denied as not related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim for a back disability. For the other conditions, the Board determined there was no in-service injury or disease related to these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee sprain and right knee chondromalacia patella are currently rated at 10 percent each, effective November 29, 2012. The Veteran seeks higher ratings for these conditions.,For the Veteran's service-connected left knee sprain, there is no evidence of flexion limited to less than 45 degrees or extension limited to more than 10 degrees, which would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5260 and 5261 respectively.