Knee decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of his service-connected disabilities, employment history, educational attainment, and other factors.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain a new VA examination due to the inadequacy of the April 2011 VA examination report, which did not adequately address functional loss due to left knee pain or weakness.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for instability of the right knee, finding that it approximates moderate instability. The Veteran's DJD of the right knee is rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and right knee disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is found to be at least as likely as not related to his service. Service connection for left elbow and right knee injuries is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent prior to December 11, 2009 and at a combined 30 percent as of that date. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was not found to be related to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a left hip dislocation. The claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability is dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran. Service connection remains pending for a left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and consideration of the TDIU issue.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right knee disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his previous claim.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected lumbosacral spine, right knee instability, left knee instability, right knee degenerative joint disease, and left knee degenerative joint disease were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further action, including scheduling a personal hearing before a traveling Veterans Law Judge at the Winston-Salem, North Carolina RO.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claims for left knee, low back, and left ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected post-operative residuals of an injury to the right knee with chondromalacia are currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code (DC) 5258. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for any other DCs.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations and obtaining pertinent treatment records.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he has requested that the issues be returned to the RO for reconsideration.

The Veteran's right knee and left hip disabilities are rated at the maximum available under VA regulations, with no additional ratings granted for instability of the left knee. The TDIU claim is also granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examination and treatment records.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis and residuals of thoracic and lumbar spine fractures are found to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, left knee, right knee, left hip, and right hip disabilities were all rated at the maximum available rating of 20 percent. The decision did not address any other issues or claims.

The Board found no evidence linking the left knee disability to service or any incident therein, and concluded that it is not related to the service-connected right knee strain.