Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's low back, cervical spine and bilateral knee disabilities are considered due to undiagnosed illness related to Gulf War service. Service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment for which he would otherwise be qualified.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings was denied, with the exception of a grant of a 50% rating for depression effective January 30, 2012. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for his depressive disorder.

The Veteran's peptic ulcer disease and left knee disability are being remanded for additional development as the VA examinations did not consider all relevant evidence, including recent private medical records. The Veteran's service connection claims will be reconsidered based on the new information.

The Board has granted an effective date of September 12, 2012 for the award of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric, right knee, bilateral hip, and back disorders are not service-connected. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and requests that additional clarification be obtained from Dr. Mohammad Khan regarding his April 2013 opinion.

The Veteran's left knee strain was granted a disability rating of 20 percent effective February 1, 2017. A separate 10 percent rating for left knee instability is also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is not related to his service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his claimed conditions are not attributable to service. The VA examinations and medical opinions provided no evidence linking the current conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability and to clarify functional impairment. The appeal will be returned to the Board after this is completed.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no jurisdiction remains for further action.

The Veteran's right hip arthritis is granted service connection, and he is awarded a separate rating for his right knee instability. The Veteran also receives an increased rating for his right knee disability.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for tinnitus and irritable bowel syndrome (to include as secondary to PTSD), but not for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, skin cancer, or degenerative joint disease of the left knee or right knee. The Veteran's hypertension was also found not to be related to service.

The Veteran's left knee strain is not related to military service, and the Board finds that service connection for a left knee condition is denied.

The Board found new and material evidence to reopen claims of service connection for right and left knee disabilities, but did not find such evidence in the case of a claim for PTSD. The decision on the left wrist disability is pending as it was previously denied based on lack of line-of-duty status.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining in-patient hospitalization records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine if his disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal regarding the claims for service connection for right hip, right thigh, and right knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection, initial ratings for bilateral hearing loss and dermatitis. The case will be remanded to allow for further examination and consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed left knee and leg disabilities are not related to his active duty service, including a simple ankle fracture in November 1951. The VA examiner found no link between the current conditions and the in-service injury.