Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and consideration of the new evidence received.

The Board dismissed the appeal to reopen a service connection claim for a left knee disorder due to the Veteran's withdrawal request. The RO is remanding the issues of entitlement to effective dates prior to August 28, 2009, for the grants of service connection for moderate right knee instability and right knee posttraumatic arthritis.

The Veteran's right knee disorder was initially rated as noncompensable from August 23, 2003 to April 7, 2009. From April 8, 2009 onwards, the disability rating for his right knee disorder was increased to 10 percent. For the left knee disorders, a 10 percent rating was granted effective from August 23, 2003 and later increased ratings were assigned based on specific periods of time.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability, including any limitations due to pain and weakness.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have begun during service and has continued since then. The Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected disabilities are of sufficient severity to prevent her from engaging in and retaining substantially gainful employment, thus granting TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess the current nature and severity of his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for various conditions was received on December 20, 2007. The appellant seeks accrued benefits based on this claim, but the Veteran died before the next month and thus there is no potential for an award.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for treatment provided at Grays Harbor Hospital beginning on March 27, 2009 are granted due to the emergent nature of his condition and the unfeasibility of using VA facilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right or left knee disorder related to his active military service.,Service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disorders is denied.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection and increased ratings in the specified cases, thus dismissing these matters.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee lateral instability does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent, and his lumbosacral strain disability does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board denied claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as right ankle and right knee disorders. The Veteran's applications to reopen these claims were not successful.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right hip disability and bilateral knee disability due to lack of evidence supporting these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current knee disabilities are not related to his active service, and specifically denied claims for direct service connection.

The Veteran does not have arthritis that is attributable to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining SSA records and providing an addendum to the VA examination reports.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disorders, including a torn medial meniscus and degenerative joint disease, are not related to his right knee disorder. The Veteran is granted an initial evaluation of 10 percent for the service-connected torn medial meniscus of the left knee.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disorder is not related to his period of service, including any inservice injury. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current condition was incurred or aggravated by service.