Knee decisions — 2013

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records from his private doctor, Dr. Anthony Chong.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee disorder. The issues are inextricably intertwined as the TDIU claim is dependent on the outcome of the service connection claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability, including degenerative arthritis and total knee arthroplasty, is caused by service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a left knee disability due to discrepancies in the VA examination report and the need for additional evidence, including private treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were dismissed due to her death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's left knee instability and degenerative joint disease have been rated at the highest permissible level of 20 percent for each condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining specific dates of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA during the Veteran's reserve service. The VA examiner is requested to provide an addendum to his prior examination medical opinion addressing the approximate date of clinical onset of arthritis in each knee and whether it is at least as likely as not related to active duty, ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and extent of the Veteran's right knee and cervical spine disabilities. The appeal is pending until further notice.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his back and shoulder conditions, are sufficiently severe to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to June 27, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, drug and alcohol addiction, disability of the feet, a disability of the left knee, and a disability of the right hand.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, lumbar herniated disk, left tibia and fibula fracture with chronic knee strain, and right quadriceps tendon repair, are found to be so severe that they prevent the Veteran from securing or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to determine if the aggregate effect of his service-connected disabilities precludes him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion on whether the appellant's right knee disorder is related to his military service and if a pre-existing condition was aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease in the left knee and right wrist, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are due to injuries sustained during his active duty service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various lower extremity and hip disorders, including as secondary to his service-connected left foot and ankle disabilities. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the current diagnoses of all claimed conditions and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left knee disability are found to have had their clinical onset in service, granting the claims for these conditions.

The case is being remanded for additional development of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain STRs, provide VA examinations, and review the medical history of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic disability manifested by recurrent episodes of headaches, facial pain, sinus congestion, and rhinorrhea (claimed as sinusitis and allergic rhinitis) is granted. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic left knee disability is also granted.