Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's right and left knee chondromalacia have been rated based on their respective limitations of motion, with the right knee receiving a 20% rating under Diagnostic Code 5261 for limitation of extension. The left knee received a 40% rating under the same code due to its more severe limitation of extension.

The Veteran's right knee disability was granted an initial rating of 20 percent from July 26, 2006 to June 16, 2009.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between the current condition and active service. The preponderance of the evidence supports this conclusion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed thoracolumbar disorder or bilateral knee disorder, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's right knee total replacement has been rated as 30 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a higher rating of 60 percent is warranted based on chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness in the affected extremity.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, including recurrent subluxation and degenerative joint disease, is rated at 20 percent effective December 2, 2015. The TDIU claim was also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected knee disabilities and depressive disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for an increased rating for his right knee and TDIU were withdrawn prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his left knee disability and right knee instability.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee disability, or stress fractures of the legs. The Veteran's claims were denied as there was insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration disability benefits records. The case will be readjudicated after the development.

The Board found that there is no established current right knee disability and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection. The issue of an increased rating for degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine was also addressed, but a final decision could not be rendered due to the inextricably intertwined TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various issues including service connection claims, increased rating claims, and TDIU. The right ankle disability received a 10% rating, but no higher. Bilateral external otitis remained at the 10% rating. Diabetes mellitus continued to be rated at 20%. Peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities was rated at 40%, but no higher.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection and to reopen the claims of service connection for several conditions, including left knee condition, right shoulder condition, right knee condition, left shoulder condition, cephalalgia, back condition, and right foot condition. As a result, all appeals are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for various knee and ankle conditions, as well as a wrist injury. The Board found that the evidence supported these findings.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations of his left knee DJD and ulnar neuropathy of the left upper extremity.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and anxiety disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. Service connection is also granted for bilateral hearing loss, but not for bilateral knee arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining inpatient medical records from Ft. Jackson Base Hospital and providing an addendum opinion on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board granted a rating of 30 percent for service-connected labyrinthitis, to include vertigo, effective May 20, 2016. The Veteran's left knee sprain effusion with degenerative joint disease (DJD) is rated at 10 percent.