Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and increased the rating for right knee disability. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, while his right knee impairment is rated based on limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence linking any of the claimed conditions to service, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disorder and denied service connection for a broken fourth finger of the right hand. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for fracture of the right fifth metacarpal is pending.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, alcohol abuse and dysthymic disorder is rated at 70 percent effective from June 21, 2007. The Veteran also has a 10 percent rating for right carpal tunnel syndrome. Service connection was granted for hypertension as secondary to the service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left and right knee patellofemoral arthritis are being remanded. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim of service connection for back spasms secondary to an epidural is also being remanded.

The Board has denied both the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left lower extremity disorders, finding no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury that could be linked to his conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities have been rated as 10 percent for degenerative joint disease and another 10 percent for instability, resulting in a total rating of 20 percent. The appeal is denied as the current ratings adequately reflect his disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new examination and consideration of extraschedular evaluation.

The Veteran's right knee disability, post-surgical arthroscopy, is rated at 30 percent since September 24, 2008. The left knee arthritis remains noncompensable prior to September 24, 2008 and a separate rating for surgical scarring of the right knee has been granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the left knee as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. However, after reviewing all available evidence, including VA and private medical records, the Board finds that there is no direct or proximate relationship between the Veteran's current left knee condition and his service-connected right knee disability. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's current left knee condition was not caused by or related to the service-connected right knee disability.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection or compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, and thus denied all of his claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed right knee, cervical spine, rib, head, and chin disorders are not service-connected due to a lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of left knee injury with instability is not supported by the evidence.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the Veteran's low back disability and right knee disability, effective February 4, 2004. Service connection for an eye disability secondary to a head injury was also granted.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, and the Board finds no basis for an increased rating based on current evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including consideration of Social Security Administration (SSA) records and reconsideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection as due to undiagnosed illness.

The Board has granted service connection for depression and left knee patella tendonitis, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed psychiatric disability or bilateral foot disability, and therefore denied these claims. The remaining issues of service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral knee, and skin disabilities are also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee disabilities were denied. The Veteran was not granted any higher initial or staged ratings.