Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are related to service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory condition (also claimed as allergies) has been reopened and is now considered. The Board finds that the additional evidence received since the November 2006 rating decision relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim, specifically whether the current respiratory condition was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including the reopening of a claim for service connection for ASHD with first degree heart block and the assignment of appropriate ratings for hearing loss. The claims are not currently in a position to be decided on their merits.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and probable chondromalacia of the patella are currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The issues on appeal include a request for higher ratings.,For the period prior to July 25, 2009, the Veteran's left knee arthritis is rated as 30 percent disabling due to limitation of flexion and 10 percent disabling due to limitation of extension.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent was assigned for tinnitus and there is no provision for separate evaluations for bilateral tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the appellant's right and left knee disorders are related to his active service, granting service connection for both.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to his service, specifically the football and basketball injuries he experienced during service. The VA examiner concluded that the current condition is less likely than not caused by or a result of these in-service events.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and providing the Veteran with notice of secondary service connection requirements.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO found that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities did not meet the criteria for higher ratings prior to March 1, 2012, but granted separate 10 percent ratings for instability since that date.

The Board found that the Veteran's right hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities were not shown to be related to her service-connected left ankle disability. The medical opinions provided weighed against the claims for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claims for left knee service connection and respiratory disorder were denied, while the TDIU claim was not addressed.

The Board has ordered a new examination and remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical evidence in the current record.

The Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic arthritis of the knees, undiagnosed illness characterized by fatigue, sleep disturbance and memory loss, hiatal hernia with esophageal reflux, and muscle contraction headaches are all rated at their respective disability levels. The increased ratings for the knee conditions and the hiatal hernia have been granted.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and development are necessary to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including for his service connection issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and a need for additional examinations. The Veteran's claims for low back, shoulder, and knee disorders are on appeal.

The Veteran seeks compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 for additional disability resulting from VA surgery in December 2007 and subsequent surgeries. The Board has ordered a remand to obtain relevant medical records, conduct examinations, and determine if the Veteran's current disabilities are related to the VA treatment.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disability, manifested by a joint replacement due to degenerative joint changes, is due to disease or injury incurred in active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left below the knee amputation was not caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and denied the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disability, residuals of a fractured left tibia, and a left metatarsal disability due to lack of current disabilities. The Veteran was provided with VA examinations but no new examination is required as this claim has been decided.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed left hip, left knee, and thoracolumbar spine disabilities did not manifest during service or within one year of discharge. The current evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service.