Knee decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including VA examinations and a more complete statement of reasons and bases for its decision regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss and arthritis of the left hip and knee.

The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability. The Veteran's claims for middle spine and bilateral hearing loss are remanded for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right knee disorder related to his service or service-connected left knee disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for left elbow disorder, left knee disorder, and low back disorder. These conditions are deemed to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left knee disabilities and an opinion regarding whether he is precluded from obtaining substantial gainful employment due to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are not related to service, as there is no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within the presumptive period for arthritis. The claim for secondary service connection for the right knee disability based on a pre-existing left knee disability was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, which includes a tear of the medial meniscus and post-arthroscopic repair, is entitled to a 100% evaluation for one year following the partial knee replacement on January 31, 2008.

The Veteran's arthritis of bilateral knees had its onset during his period of active service, and the Board finds that service connection is warranted based on continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left and right knee disabilities, as well as staged ratings may be appropriate.

The Board denied both issues: The debt resulting from the overpayment of benefits during the Veteran's incarceration was validly created, and the claim for an earlier effective date for election of military retirement pay in lieu of VA disability compensation benefits is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a low back disability or left knee disability that is attributable to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule him for a Travel Board hearing at the local RO in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining an examination and medical opinion regarding his employability.

The Veteran's left knee disability, which includes internal derangement, synovitis, and degenerative joint disease, has been rated at 30 percent since August 1, 2009. The Board found that the current rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, right knee, right hip, and right ankle have been denied as there is no evidence that these conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.,For the left ankle, the Veteran has not met the schedular criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated as 20 percent disabling from September 1, 1999; 100 percent disabling from April 17, 2009; 20 percent disabling from June 1, 2009; 100 percent disabling from May 6, 2010; and 30 percent disabling from August 1, 2011. The Veteran's right knee disability has not resulted in functional loss consistent with or comparable to limitation of motion of the leg to 60 degrees on flexion or to 5 degrees on extension.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee, low back, and bilateral ankle disabilities are related to his active service, including multiple parachute jumps as a paratrooper.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral ankle disorder, DJD of the spine, bilateral hip DJD, and bilateral knee DJD are not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected pes planus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA clinical records and an SOC on the issue of a higher rating for diabetes mellitus.