Knee decisions — 2011

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that he has the ability to perform sedentary employment.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete service treatment records and an inadequate VA examination for tinnitus.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for service-connected post-operative residuals of left medial meniscectomy and limitation of extension of the left knee. The claim for TDIU is referred to the AOJ.

The Board has determined that service connection for hypertension is warranted, and the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder claim is remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back, bilateral hip, bilateral ankle, bilateral hand, bilateral knee, and genitourinary disabilities are caused by or related to his service-connected Reiter's Syndrome.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The issue of TDIU will be reconsidered after the intertwined issues are addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a right knee injury. The Veteran's skin disorder is currently under review.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disorder, claimed as a knee replacement, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disability is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and evaluation by the Director of Compensation and Pension Service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral flatfeet and back disability are not etiologically related to service or service-connected knee disability.,As a result, the claims for service connection for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for retropatellar pain syndrome of the right and left knees were denied by the RO.

The Veteran's service-connected chondromalacia, status post total right knee replacement, is manifested by chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion. The Board finds that the criteria for a 60 percent evaluation are more nearly approximated.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed left knee disability and the VA medical treatment records do not provide sufficient evidence to establish that his amputation was caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a right knee disorder but remanded it to the RO for further development. The issues of service connection for low back, gastrointestinal, psychiatric, and dental disorders are also being remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, diagnosed as osteochondritis and now confirmed with degenerative changes, are rated at 10 percent each under DC 5003 for limitation of motion. The effective date remains August 23, 2007.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 30 percent since July 30, 2008. He is also granted separate ratings of 10 percent for limitation of flexion and instability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee and left ankle disabilities are service-connected based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee, left hip, and right hip disorders as secondary to a service-connected disability. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are related to his service-connected osteochondritis dissecans.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 40 percent, and initial compensable ratings are assigned for his left knee disabilities. The TDIU claim was granted on an extraschedular basis effective from April 9, 1996.