Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's cervical spine disability has been granted service connection and rated at 20 percent effective November 25, 2008. The other issues have not been resolved.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for a new VA medical opinion regarding the potential relationship between the Veteran's current bilateral knee disabilities and service.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including migraines, left hip strain, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee degenerative joint disease, and cervical spine osteodegenerative disease. The Board has determined that further examination is needed to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for PTSD, but further development is needed to determine if there was a stressor event in service and whether the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claim for service connection for his right knee condition, including obtaining medical records and providing an examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities and granted them, finding that new evidence received since the September 2004 rating decision raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative joint disease of the back and neck, osteoarthritis of the right knee, and carpal tunnel syndrome are all related to his active military service. The evidence shows he was exposed to noise in service which led to his current hearing loss and tinnitus. His orthopedic conditions are also linked to his years of service due to repetitive motion injuries.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee and right shoulder disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The VA examiners opined that there was no evidence of continuity of symptomatology, and the current conditions are less likely than not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disorder, left knee strain, and lumbar strain are not related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability did not manifest during service and was neither caused by nor aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. As such, service connection for a right knee condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms and functional impairment.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disorder is not related to his service or a service-connected right knee disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability but denied reopening of his previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to March 12, 2013 is being remanded due to the need for extraschedular consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee strain with degenerative joint disease (DJD) due to lack of evidence linking his current disability to service.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities and surgical scars have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that a 20 percent evaluation is warranted for the torn medial meniscus of the right knee under Diagnostic Code 5258, based on symptoms including dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of 'locking', pain, and effusion.

The combined effects of the Veteran's right hand and right knee disabilities make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The evidence now shows that the Veteran's current left knee condition is related to his service-connected right knee instability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure of his hearing notice. He will be scheduled for a new Travel Board hearing at his correct address.