Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records. The issue of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for her right knee disability remains on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his left knee gouty arthritis did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent. The other issues were not addressed due to lack of information.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of medial and lateral meniscectomies of the left knee have been rated at 20 percent since January 25, 2002. The Board denied a higher rating for limitation of flexion.

The Veteran's right knee replacement surgery did not result in additional disability due to VA negligence or fault. The surgery was successful, but the Veteran experienced complications such as leg length discrepancy and instability.

The Veteran's service-connected Hodgkin's disease was granted with a rating of 30 percent.,Increased ratings for the right and left ankle disabilities were granted, each at a 20 percent rating effective February 7, 2011.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his right knee disability have been granted and maintained. He is currently rated at 20 percent for instability of the right knee since April 24, 2014.

The Board has remanded the case due to a material change in the Veteran's left knee disabilities and for obtaining additional VA and private treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disorder is primarily manifested by pain, tenderness to palpation, and limited motion. The VA determined that the current rating of 10% adequately reflects his disability.

The Board is remanding the case to consider the collective impact of all the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss disability, on his disability picture and whether it renders the schedular evaluations inadequate for an extra-schedular rating.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection was granted, and he is now receiving a 20% rating for his moderate chondromalacia of the left knee since the beginning of the claim. He also receives separate 10% ratings for painful motion of both knees.

The Board found that the Veteran's right thumb, right wrist, and bilateral knee disabilities did not have onset during active service or within one-year of service discharge and are not otherwise etiologically related to active service. The claims were denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to obtain private treatment records from the Regional Medical Center in Albany, New York and for the Veteran to submit lay statements.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a compensable rating for his left 5th toe proximal phalanx fracture. The evidence did not establish new and material evidence to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to provide proper notice of a change in his hearing request. The case will be returned to the Board for further action.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to unavailability of service treatment records and a need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be incurred in active service and granted. The claims for increased evaluations of her lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims for refractive error of the eyes, right and left knee disorders, lumbar spine disorder, and macular hole of the right eye are also denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic bilateral knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of a bilateral knee disorder due to disease or injury from service. The Veteran's complaints were not supported by medical evidence, and the VA examiner concluded he does not have a current bilateral knee disorder.

The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations for his right knee disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to March 27, 2014 and since then.