Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability has been rated at 60% since September 1, 2010. The Board finds that the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU from this date due to his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral knee disorders. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a back disability, lung and spleen disabilities, anemia with Crohn's disease, G-6-PD deficiency, bilateral knee disability, traumatic arthritis of the left hip, pes planus, and generalized anxiety disorder. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a back disability.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance was denied because the knee brace he uses does not cause wear and tear on his clothes, as determined by the Under Secretary for Health.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded to the AOJ for additional development, including consideration of new evidence submitted since the March 2015 supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's right knee disability was reduced from a 30 percent rating to a 10 percent rating, effective December 1, 2006. The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for service-connected hypertension.,The reduction of the 30 percent rating for the right knee degenerative joint disease with history of ACL reconstruction was upheld.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a knee disorder was denied in the June 1982 rating decision. The RO found no evidence of a chronic knee disorder during service and thus denied the claim. The issue of reopening the claim has been addressed, but the new evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his abnormal mitral valve with congested heart failure and multiple knee injuries, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to July 26, 2013. Since then, he has been in receipt of special monthly compensation (SMC) due to aid and attendance/housebound.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Board hearing by live videoconference. The issues include service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.

The Veteran's right knee disability, following a total knee replacement and revision, is rated at 30 percent effective June 1, 2010. The reduction from 60% to 30% was not proper.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on all issues, and the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a back disorder, right and left knee disorders, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD. The decision also addressed other issues such as increased ratings for foot disabilities and entitlement to additional compensation benefits for dependent sons.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a qualifying left foot, ankle, or knee disability for service connection and denied all claims. The claim for right carpal tunnel syndrome was previously denied but new evidence received since the last denial is found to be material.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, DM, and PTSD. The Veteran's current conditions are presumed to be associated with his exposure to herbicide agents during service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during active duty service.,Service connection is granted for a low back disorder and left knee disorder, as these conditions were noted upon entrance into the Veteran's period of active duty service and further developed during his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of his right knee disorder and left hip arthritis, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the right knee claim and that there is no direct or secondary service connection for the left hip condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of any clinically ascertainable knee or ankle disability at the time of his separation from service.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea is denied. The Veteran has a CPAP machine, but does not have respiratory failure with cor pulmonale requiring a tracheostomy.