Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral foot and right knee disorders are related to his active service, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records from new providers and updating the record with any relevant information.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his low back disability was granted, with the effective date being July 2014. The claims for service connection of right knee and sleep apnea disabilities were also granted as secondary to his low back disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings or service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee and wrist disabilities do not warrant a higher rating as the evidence does not show that they meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than May 18, 2007 for a 10 percent rating for scars of the left humerus and right leg were denied.,The Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than May 18, 2007 for a 10 percent rating for scars of the right hip and right leg from knee to top of femoral neck below right knee were also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and a VA examination of both left and right knees.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various musculoskeletal disorders, including cervical spine disorder, bilateral knee disorders, and bilateral shoulder disorders. The evidence does not support a direct or secondary relationship to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating. The Veteran will need to undergo examinations related to his bilateral CTS, psychiatric disorder, bilateral knee disorder, hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a video-conference hearing. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disorder remains on appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee, left knee, and back disabilities due to new evidence provided by his private physician. The claims are now considered substantiated.,On de novo review, the Veteran's back disability is found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a hearing before a local Hearing Officer.

The Board has ordered a remand due to incomplete examination reports and the need for additional medical records. The Veteran's right knee disability is being reviewed in light of his service history, including prepatellar bursitis diagnoses.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional VA treatment records and to schedule the Veteran for another VA examination to assess the etiology of his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to July 12, 2007, and a 30 percent rating for the total right knee replacement has been established from September 1, 2008.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and arthritis may not be presumed to have been incurred within one year of discharge. The Veteran's current bilateral knee disability is also not shown to be secondary to his service-connected left and right ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee disorder is rated at 20 percent since April 1, 2008.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by medial collateral ligament strain and osteoarthritis, was rated at 10 percent prior to May 8, 2012. Since then, the rating has been increased to 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is related to his military service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition. The left knee disability is secondary to the right knee disability.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 60 percent for the entire increased rating period, and his left knee disabilities have warranted separate ratings of 10 percent each. The Veteran is also granted TDIU based on service-connected disabilities.