Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the February 2012 and August 2013 VA examinations are inadequate, as they did not consider the Veteran's assertions regarding his in-service parachute jumps. The case is therefore being remanded for further examination and consideration of all theories of entitlement.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's back disability is rated at 10% since October 1, 2011.,The Veteran's left ankle and right ankle disabilities are each rated at noncompensable (0%) from October 1, 2011 to June 6, 2014, and in excess of 10% thereafter. The RO has assigned staged ratings for these conditions.,The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10% since October 1, 2011, with a separate 10% rating granted for instability as of October 30, 2013.,The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 10% since October 1, 2011, with a separate 10% rating granted for instability as of October 30, 2013.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, right knee osteoarthritis, and cervical spondylosis as these conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical examinations and to ensure that all pertinent evidence has been considered. The issues of increased ratings for left knee disability, TBI, hypertension, renal disability, and entitlement to TDIU are inextricably intertwined and must be addressed together.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including multiple upper and lower extremity problems, have caused him to be in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person from March 1, 2013 until his death. The Board has granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 20 percent since August 31, 2017. A separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability is granted effective from January 26, 2018. The Board finds no evidence of service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, neck disability, and circumcision residual scar are etiologically related to his active service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine and left knee conditions are related to his active service, warranting a grant of service connection for both.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as bilateral hearing loss disability can be decided. The Veteran will need to undergo a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his knee and hearing loss conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his bilateral knee condition, neck disability, and PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial disability ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations, particularly regarding range of motion testing.

The Veteran was found to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, including bilateral knee pain and arthritis. His combined service-connected rating was 90 percent, effective October 31, 2011.

The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran needs regular aid and attendance, warranting a grant of SMP based on this need.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of any current acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral knee disability. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss, meniscal tears and osteoarthritis of the left knee, and meniscal tears and osteoarthritis of the right knee are all found to be related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for right knee tendonitis and instability, finding that the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for tendonitis or 20 percent for instability.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including his meniscectomy with arthritis and limitation of extension, has been rated at 40 percent since October 3, 2016.,Restoration of a separate 10 percent rating for the left knee medial meniscectomy was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee DJD and a separate rating for dislocated semilunar cartilage associated with left knee DJD, effective April 30, 1979. The initial increased ratings for limited flexion and extension are also granted.