Knee Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen his left knee disability claim. The psychiatric disorder and acid reflux claims were also denied.

The Veteran's left knee chondromalacia of the patella is currently rated at 30 percent since September 1, 2012. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disorder did not have its clinical onset in service and is not otherwise related to active duty. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's inability to travel for a hearing, and will reschedule the Travel Board hearing.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including leukemic mononucleosis, lymphoma, deep white matter deviation to include memory loss, headaches other than sinusitis with headaches, bilateral hearing loss disability, bilateral inner ear nerve damage to include vertigo and loss of balance, right-sided tongue paralysis, right-sided vocal cord paralysis, residuals of strep throat with heart murmur, right-sided neck gland swelling with difficulty swallowing and a near-esophageal knot, right shoulder rotator cuff disability, bilateral hand nerve damage, brittle fingernails, heart palpitations, hypertension, bilateral leg disorder to include weakness, edema, vascular deterioration, and varicose veins, bilateral knee disorder to include cartilage deterioration, bone grinding, and fatigue, bilateral ankle disorder to include edema, bilateral foot nerve damage to include the balls of the feet and the toes, brittle toenails, residuals of pneumonia, and dry skin. The claims were denied as not being related to service or any other basis.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection for PTSD and for increased ratings for his depressive disorder, lumbar strain with radiculitis, right tibia and fibula fracture residuals, and recurrent lumbar strain. The issue of TDIU is also pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left knee disability and therefore, service connection for a left knee disability is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of a left knee meniscal tear, mild laxity of the left knee, and limitation of extension of the left knee. The effective date was set at December 28, 2009, which is when the claim to reopen was filed.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is not related to service, and denied his claim for service connection. The right knee disability issue was remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its onset and aggravation during service.

The case is being remanded for scheduling a Board hearing by video conference. The Veteran's appeals regarding service connection and increased rating for psoriasis, as well as the BHA request, will be addressed after the hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for updated treatment records and a contemporaneous examination following bilateral knee replacement surgery. The RO will review the claims file and re-adjudicate them.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues listed, including the claims for initial ratings and service connection.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any of the claimed conditions.,As such, the Board finds that service connection for low back disability, bilateral knee disability, and left ankle disability is denied.

Service connection is denied for tinnitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and bilateral lower extremities. The Veteran's right knee meniscal tear is currently rated 10 percent due to pain, flexion limited to no less than 105 degrees and extension to zero degrees.

The Board has remanded the case due to undeliverable correspondence and needs to resend all pertinent documents to the Veteran's correct address.

The Board denied entitlement to increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the severity of his service-connected left knee disability and to ensure compliance with prior remand instructions.

The case is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a formal RO hearing and rescheduling the Veteran's VA examination due to his incarceration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee chondromalacia patella disability is at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by his military service.

The Board found no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's current left knee disability and his service-connected right knee disability, thus denying service connection for the left knee condition.