Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, IBS, GERD, and a right knee disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of current diagnoses or chronic conditions related to these issues.,There are no medical records indicating the presence of any of these conditions during service, and post-service records do not provide sufficient evidence to establish their onset in service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted on the basis that it was aggravated by service, with reasonable doubt resolved in his favor.

The Veteran's temporary total rating for right knee surgery is denied as the evidence does not show severe post-operative residuals such as incompletely healed surgical wounds, stumps or recent amputations, therapeutic immobilization of one major joint, application of a body cast, the necessity for house confinement, or the necessity for continued use of a wheelchair or crutches.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back condition is not related to her military service.,There is no evidence of a current right knee disability, and any current complaints are more likely due to recent accidents.

The Veteran's right knee patella femoral syndrome and subluxation have not met the criteria for a higher rating from March 15, 2011.,Service connection for sleep apnea was denied as there is no evidence of an in-service respiratory injury or disease.

The Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes.,There is at least equipoise evidence that the Veteran's tinnitus was caused by his active duty service.

The Veteran's left knee traumatic arthritis was rated at 40 percent prior to July 16, 2014.,Since July 16, 2014, the Veteran's status post total left knee replacement has been rated at 60 percent.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied because he did not complete and return the required VA Form 21-8940, which is necessary to substantiate his claim of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Board found that the Veteran has not provided sufficient information regarding his employment history.

The Veteran's left knee disorder, back disorder, and right knee disorder have been granted service connection. The psychiatric disorder has not been found to be related to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeals for diabetes mellitus, left foot disability, and sinus disability have been withdrawn. The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for asthma has been broadened to a claim for a breathing condition, to include asthma. The Board finds that the Veteran is not entitled to an initial compensable evaluation for his left ankle disability and hammer toes.,The Veteran seeks increased ratings for his right knee disability, left ankle disability, and hammer toes. However, the evidence does not support granting higher evaluations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for PTSD, left knee disability, and right knee disability cannot be granted as there is no credible evidence of an in-service event or injury related to these conditions. The Veteran's reports of a bus accident during service are deemed noncredible.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of her service-connected bilateral retropatella pain syndrome and right foot bunion were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current disability, in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury, or medical nexus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and expanding the claims file with any outstanding records of VA treatment. The Veteran's service connection claims will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began in service and is related to his active duty service, granting service connection. The issue of a bilateral knee disorder remains pending as additional evidence was requested.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Veteran's left knee arthritis and instability have not been found to warrant evaluations in excess of the currently assigned 10 percent ratings.,Right knee arthritis has also not met the criteria for a higher evaluation. However, right knee limitation of extension is now rated at 20 percent effective from March 1, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for major depressive disorder is granted, effective June 26, 2006.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the impairment resulting from his service-connected left knee disability, including range of motion testing and other relevant factors. The issue will be reconsidered after this additional development.