Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's depressive and anxiety disorders are currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran's lateral scar of the left knee from meniscus repair was rated as noncompensable on September 26, 2024, due to its small size (16.5 square centimeters).

The Veteran's back disability, left knee pain with arthritis status post total joint replacement, and right knee pain with arthritis are all found to have onset during service.,Service connection is granted for the acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as nervous condition).

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left lower extremity scar and sleep apnea. The right knee disability claim is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the previously denied service connection claims for anxiety, depression, back condition, left ankle condition, and left knee condition.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his request.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, with the Board finding that it is due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a medical examination for his sleep apnea claim. The right knee disability rating issue remains denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee conditions are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right ankle sprain and right knee strain are rated at 10 percent each, with no higher rating granted due to lack of evidence supporting more severe limitations.

The Veteran's representative withdrew the appeal, requesting to cancel his Board hearing and not pursue any issues on appeal. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for tinnitus or adjustment disorder with depressed mood, generalized anxiety disorder, and insomnia disorder due to the current schedular ratings being appropriate. Service connection has also been denied for pseudofolliculitis barbae, acne, constipation, muscle breakdown, cervical spine strain, lumbar spine strain, right hand/finger disorder, left hand/finger disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, migraine headache, residuals of tonsillectomy, and shoulder disorders.

The Board has decided that the claimant did not have a current diagnosis of a left knee disability or left ear hearing loss during the appeal period. The decision is remanded for further action regarding service connection for left ear hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's right and left knee osteoarthritis and instability were granted increased ratings, with the effective date being February 27, 2020.

The appeal of the proposal to discontinue service connection for residuals of prostate cancer with erectile dysfunction, including special monthly compensation for loss of use of a creative organ is dismissed. The issues of right and left knee disorders, DMII, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error and requires a new medical determination considering all the medical information of record.

The appeal for sleep apnea is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her appeal.,The appeals for migraine headaches and rheumatoid arthritis are granted to the extent that new evidence has been submitted, but service connection remains denied overall.,The appeal for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including instability and painful motion, is rated at 20 percent. The decision also granted separate ratings for left knee instability.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection. The Board is remanding the claims for right knee, left knee, and right foot disabilities due to pre-decisional errors.

The Veteran is requesting a revision of the April 2008 rating decision, which denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee. The claim will be remanded to review this request.

The Board has dismissed the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a full grant of benefits in prior decisions. Service connection is granted for left knee meniscus tear.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia and bilateral knee disability are granted as service-connected, with the latter being presumed due to Gulf War exposure. The Board found that there is a link between her current conditions and her military service.