Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral foot and ankle arthritis, and his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent, rendering moot the claim for a TDIU. Service connection was granted for fibromyalgia as a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

Service connection for migraines as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and/or tinnitus is granted.,The criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus have not been met.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, a left knee disability, and cystitis by history (claimed as hematuria) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus claim is also being remanded for further examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee condition is not service-connected as it was aggravated by his military service, but not incurred or aggravated therein.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for joint pain, loss of hand grip and muscle weakness, fatigue and swelling of body parts, and memory loss. However, it is not granted as these conditions are not found to be related to active service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has granted service connection for melanoma and renal insufficiency, but denied service connection for right knee disability. The Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for dental trauma to tooth #8 is pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD, back disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability do not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, service connection for right knee disability, service connection for left knee disability, or TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from obtaining and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation since July 20, 2010.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including new examinations and an SSOC addressing all evidence since the last statement of the case.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as right and left hip disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are etiologically related to his parachute jumps during active duty.,Service connection was also granted for obstructive sleep apnea, with the opinion stating it is aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee disability and bilateral hearing loss have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition during any of the periods in question.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including PTSD with MDD, left shoulder condition, right and left knee conditions, pseudofolliculitis barbae, tinnitus, and right knee condition, have resulted in a combined rating of 90 percent. The Veteran is therefore eligible for TDIU.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following any substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities were restored to a 20 percent rating each, effective May 6, 2009.,Service connection was granted for the diabetic foot ulcer on the left heel, secondary to the service-connected residuals of fracture to the left ankle.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is etiologically related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 20 percent for degenerative joint disease, but separate ratings of 10 percent and 20 percent are granted for recurrent subluxation or lateral instability and locking, respectively.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and needs a new VA examination to assess the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were of such severity prior to December 16, 2011 so as to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability on an extraschedular basis.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right or left knee disability and denied service connection for these conditions. The psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was also denied as secondary to his knee and back disabilities.

The Veteran's knee disabilities are currently rated based on limitation of motion, and the evidence does not show flexion limited to 30 degrees or more for a higher rating.