Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of the record.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss, right knee disorder, and sleep disorder (narcolepsy) are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a current disability.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are necessary to properly assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and to determine appropriate disability ratings.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 C.F.R. § 1151 are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding his claimed disabilities, including atrial fibrillation, loss of muscle use in the abdomen, tissue damage in the right hip, nerve damage in the right groin to the right knee, and sore testes and penile deformity with erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his ulnar neuropathy disabilities and thyroid disability have been denied. The RO has assigned noncompensable or initial compensable ratings based on the criteria provided.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for clarification regarding his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for reopening his service connection claims for bilateral knee disability and back disability have been denied as there is no new and material evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current functional impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of any current right knee disability and an adjudication of his claim for increased evaluation for bipolar disorder with associated anxiety.

The Veteran's service-connected right foot and knee disabilities are rated at the maximum allowed under the applicable diagnostic codes. The Veteran is granted a separate rating for lateral instability of his right knee, but denied higher ratings for his right foot arthritis and patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative disease. His traumatic shoulder condition does not warrant a higher rating. The Veteran's left foot plantar fasciitis is rated at the minimum allowed.

The Board found that the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during his military service. The VA examinations and medical records did not support a link between the current knee disabilities and any incident of service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not establish a chronic disability or objective indications of a qualifying chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness in the Southwest Asia Theater during the Persian Gulf War.

The Veteran's right knee disability and scar were evaluated, with the right knee disability receiving a 20% evaluation. The arthritis of the right knee was separately rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss, right knee condition, left knee condition, back condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) were all incurred in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right and left knee disabilities, hypertension, asthma, right and left wrist disabilities, migraine headaches, allergic rhinitis, and erectile dysfunction, preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background. As such, a TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left shoulder disorder, and right knee disorder are pending.

The Veteran seeks service connection for left hip, lumbar spine, and left knee disorders secondary to his service-connected torn right meniscus with degenerative changes. The Board finds that a remand is necessary due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his knee disorders and psychiatric disability were denied. The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection of a psychiatric disorder, but did not decide whether it was secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's right knee disability, rated as traumatic arthritis with edema and status post patellectomy, is currently rated at 20 percent. The VA examiner found that the range of motion was from 0 to 110 degrees, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The RO denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and a right knee disorder, as well as thoracolumbar and cervical spine disorders. The Veteran did not appeal these decisions.