Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's increased ratings for knee disabilities have been granted, with the effective date being July 14, 2009.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 40 percent combined, and the Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and the need to verify a claimed stressor.

The Veteran's left knee, left elbow, and right elbow disabilities have been rated at the maximum available rating of 10 percent each. The appeal is denied as there are no additional issues to grant.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left shoulder pain, degenerative joint disease of the bilateral hips, and left knee pain have been granted. The claim for residuals of right ankle sprains, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus is dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a left knee injury and an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) have been denied as there is no current diagnosis or evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's right knee instability and degenerative joint disease have been rated at the maximum available under the applicable rating criteria. The Board finds no basis to grant an increased evaluation for either condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and knee disability were not incurred or aggravated during service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is rated at 10 percent, and his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right knee and left knee are each rated at 10 percent. The appeal for higher ratings remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151 for a left knee condition is denied, and his service connection claim for residuals of burns to both hands, including arthritis and gout, is also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a video conference hearing. The issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee injuries remain on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports regarding whether the Veteran's current left knee disorder is aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee strain was incurred in service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not, singly or in combination, preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right ankle and left knee disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's knee disabilities have been rated based on their current manifestations, with no higher ratings granted for the period under appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not of such severity as to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment at any time during the period relevant to this appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee condition is not related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection.