Knee Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by locking, painful motion, and effusion, warrants a 20 percent evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5258.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a left knee disability, including a torn ACL. The case is being remanded to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of his current left knee disabilities and whether they are related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew all his pending appeals, including those for increased rating for PTSD, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, Gulf War Syndrome-related conditions (including a bilateral knee condition, headaches, joint pain, a neurologic disorder, and a skin rash), and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for a sleep disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for a right hip disability, a left knee disability, and disabilities manifested by pain in the left ankle/foot and right ankle/foot (other than from the service-connected right foot drop).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee disabilities were denied by the Board and remanded multiple times. The case is being returned to the Board for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the neck, back, hands, and knees as there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his active duty service or any service-connected disabilities.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for sinusitis and a bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his left knee condition has been remanded due to the need for additional examination and testing. The case will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 claim is pending. The RO denied service connection for a bilateral foot disability, right and left knee degenerative joint disease with chronic patellar tendonitis, and instability of the knees.,Service connection was granted for right and left knee degenerative joint disease with chronic patellar tendonitis, each rated at 10 percent effective April 13, 2009. The RO also granted separate 10 percent disability ratings for instability of each knee, effective May 4, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial evaluation and an earlier effective date for PTSD with insomnia was denied. The Board found that the criteria for total occupational and social impairment were not met, and thus, no higher rating could be assigned.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee DJD was not incurred in service, related to service, or caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's sleep apnea was granted service connection, with the effective date set at the date of the decision.,Service connection for a right knee disability was denied due to failure to appeal the June 1994 rating decision within one year. The Veteran's claim is pending for an earlier effective date based on CUE.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability and skin condition (claimed as malignant melanoma) are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a direct link between his military service and these conditions.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current right or left knee disability, and the appellant's complaints are not sufficient to establish service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to determine the nature and likely cause of his sleep apnea, back condition, left knee condition, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The VA will also need to clarify if there are any other foot disorders related to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted an initial 10 percent rating for left knee anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with arthritis, effective June 7, 2006. Separate ratings of 10 percent each have been assigned for instability and residuals of a medial meniscal repair.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the claims for entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability, a left knee disability, a lower back disability, a sleep disorder, hypertension, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, acid reflux disease, a left ankle disability, a right ankle disability, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD.

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability, including whether it is related to his service-connected left knee disability or if it was aggravated by any other service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hip and left knee disabilities are found to have been incurred in service.,Service connection is denied for an acquired psychiatric disorder claimed as PTSD.