Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is not shown to be related to his service, and therefore denied his claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee and hip arthralgia, finding no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

The Veteran's service-connected tension headaches have been rated at 30 percent since June 1, 2010. The effective date for this rating is now set to June 1, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records and arranging for an examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records. The issues include diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia, peripheral neuropathy, onychomycosis (claimed as jungle rot), residuals of right knee injury, and fibromas.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for pension or special monthly pension benefits due to his unemployability and lack of permanent total disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and the retrieval of medical records.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for PTSD was granted, with an effective date of October 20, 2008. The Veteran is currently rated at 70 percent for PTSD.,PTSD has caused occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas since October 20, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with a 30% rating effective November 7, 2008. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were also granted. However, the claim for a meniscal tear of the left knee was denied, as was the request for an earlier effective date for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss warrants a 20 percent rating. The claim for increased tinnitus was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to decision. Service connection for low back disability, headaches, knee disabilities, hypertension, and shoulder disabilities have been established based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of vision loss, left eye; hypertension; a left knee disability; allergic rhinitis; hearing loss and tinnitus have been withdrawn prior to the Board promulgating a decision.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on being bedridden, housebound, or in need of aid and attendance of another due to service-connected disabilities is remanded as the VA examinations did not adequately address his overall combined impairment.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU. The RO has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability effective October 18, 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for DM, arthritis of the knees, arms, and hands, tinnitus, and an eye disorder (including cataracts and defective vision), all presumed to be related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral knee, and bilateral shoulder conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a reevaluation of his right knee disability and issuance of a Statement of the Case on service connection for diabetes mellitus.

The Board has decided that the case needs further development due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right knee disability was aggravated by his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities, including hearing loss and knee conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his left knee disability and determine if his low back disability is secondary to his service-connected left ankle and left knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for his right knee disability remains pending.