Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for inguinal hernia, finding that the condition manifested from an injury incurred during a period of INACDUTRA. The Veteran's hypertension and knee disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's additional disability was not caused by VA negligence or fault, and thus denied his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has denied the Veteran's service connection claims for mid-back, left knee, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome disabilities as they are not related to his service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for a new examination. The issue of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 30 percent as of April 1, 2013, for a total right knee replacement, including entitlement to a separate rating for instability of the right knee, will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, right shoulder disability, and sleep apnea are all related to service.,However, due to lack of specific diagnosis for sleep apnea in this decision summary, it is not clear if the Veteran currently has a diagnosed condition or if his symptoms are still being evaluated.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues on appeal regarding service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease, increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 15, 2015, and TDIU prior to May 15, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar and cervical spines, were denied by the Board.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to obtain medical records and provide the Veteran with a VA examination to determine if his current left knee, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities are related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hand, foot, knee disabilities and loss of teeth due to trauma. The evidence does not support a finding that any current disability is related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee and lumbar spine disorders are not related to his active military service, as there is no evidence of chronic disabilities within one year post-service. The Board also noted inconsistencies in the Veteran's reports regarding when he first experienced symptoms.

The Veteran's ankle, knee, hip and back disabilities are not service-connected or related to his service-connected bilateral pes planus with metatarsalgia.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee instability prior to May 9, 2014 and a compensable disability rating for right knee patellofemoral syndrome with limited extension from May 9, 2014, to July 1, 2014.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including meniscus tears and prepatellar bursitis, has been rated at various levels since his initial claim. The current rating of 60% for the period after total knee replacement is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete development of records and need for a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for a left knee disability, finding that the evidence submitted since the January 2014 decision was cumulative and did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim. The decision also noted that the Veteran's current diagnoses may be related to congenital deformities (bilateral genu varus and pes planus), but these are not service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and the appeals are dismissed as there is no remaining case or controversy.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of any current knee disorders, as the previous examination did not consider the Veteran's service in Korea and the loss of his service treatment records.