Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal was granted for service connection of PTSD with depression. Other claims were not resolved in his favor.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a Decision Review Officer (DRO) hearing, as no such hearing has been scheduled yet. The Veteran's request for a DRO hearing was submitted in January 2016 but no hearing date has been provided.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities are severe enough to warrant Category I status for self-employment, but the evidence does not show that all traditional employment goals other than self-employment are unsuitable due to his disabilities. Therefore, the appeal is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination and to ensure the SSOC was sent to his latest address of record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hand and right knee conditions did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including MDD, PTSD, and anxiety disorder), sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, colon polyps, bilateral hand disorder (thumb arthritis), CTS of the upper extremities, and right ear hearing loss are related to his military service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased rating for a left knee disability due to additional development being required, including obtaining post-service medical records from Tinker Air Force Base and scheduling another VA examination.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the issue of service connection for a left knee condition, and thus the Board dismisses this claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right wrist, knee, and ankle disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disorder and bilateral knee disorder, finding that there is no causal relationship between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including arthritis and a meniscus tear, is currently rated at 10 percent for limited range of motion and instability. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an increased rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and a back disability, finding that the evidence does not support a nexus to service. The claim for TDIU was also denied as there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his left knee disability, as it did not meet the criteria for an increase in disability beyond what was already assigned. His skin disorder, right claw foot, and hypertension were also not supported by the evidence provided.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disability. The issues of increased evaluations for left knee DJD with limitation of motion, tenderness and crepitus and left knee instability are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between his service-connected right knee disability and his claimed left knee DJD.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his claims prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of her right and left knee disabilities, as well as a determination on her claim for TDIU. The claims will be reconsidered after the additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate development, including a failure to provide medical opinions and VA examinations as requested in the November 2015 remand. The case is now pending for further consideration.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a video conference hearing and further development.