Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for right knee arthritis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability. The claim for left knee disorder is being remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding its relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the claims for entitlement to a compensable evaluation for right and left knee instability prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and arranging for a VA knee examination.

The Veteran's appeal is granted, with a TDIU being awarded due to his service-connected disabilities. The other claims remain pending and require further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, which was cardiopulmonary arrest and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is not related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a higher rating under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for post-operative right knee and ankle disabilities were denied by the Board. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records. The specific issues are related to an increased rating for a left knee disability, including restoration of a 20 percent disability rating for osteoarthritis status post arthroscopy.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection, and his knee disabilities were denied increased ratings. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a 70% rating for PTSD and dismissed the claim for memory loss as it was part of the service-connected PTSD. The other claims, including those related to hepatitis C and left knee disorder, were also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are presumed to have been incurred as a result of active service, while his bilateral knee disability is not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, gastrointestinal disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, left knee disability (arthritis), bilateral athlete's foot, muscle pain, joint pain, sleep disorder (sleep apnea), and respiratory disorder (asthma). The appeal was dismissed due to withdrawal of these issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The appeals are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is found to be proximately due to her service-connected left ankle disability, and thus granted secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for her left knee disability was granted, and she is currently rated at 20 percent. The claim for service connection for a right knee disability remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to assess his right ear hearing loss, sleep disturbance, bilateral knee, left hip, and back disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee condition, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, along with other disabilities, has rendered her unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment. The abdominal scars have been rated as 10 percent disabling for pain.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for the Veteran's claimed hypothyroidism and right knee condition. The evidence does not show a link between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for referral to the VA Director of Compensation Service for adjudication under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).