Knee decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for the right and left knee disabilities were granted, with a 30 percent rating assigned for lateral instability of the left knee. The right knee disability was rated at 20 percent effective January 25, 2013.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder, but the AMC assigned different ratings and effective dates. The Veteran does not have separate appeal rights concerning these downstream issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and maintaining employment, and the RO has referred his claim for extraschedular TDIU consideration. The case is being remanded to determine if referral to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to his active military service and grants this claim. The right knee disability issue remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for right knee retropatellar pain syndrome and service connection for a left knee disorder were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have instability of the right knee, and there was no current left knee disability.

The Veteran's joint pains of the right hip, diagnosed as right hip greater trochanteric bursitis, is related to her period of military service and has been granted service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for athlete's foot, which represents a full grant of the benefit sought.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the criteria for a TDIU have not been met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left thigh disorder characterized by numbness, were denied as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a right ankle fracture.

The Board has requested a remand to obtain an etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee/leg disability, including whether it is related to injuries sustained during Army Physical Fitness Testing (APFT) on October 5, 2002, or to nonservice-connected inclusion body myositis (IBM).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding private treatment records and a need for VA examinations.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's left knee disorder is related to service or his service-connected lumbar spine disability, and thus denied the claim.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a chronic pulmonary disorder, benign prostatic hypertrophy, right and left knee disabilities, and a disorder characterized by fatigue. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his claimed conditions are not related to active military service or service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral ankle sprains, right shoulder strain, back strain, and bilateral knee strain as there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's left total knee replacement has been rated at 60% since December 1, 2010. The current rating adequately reflects the severity of his disability.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a disability manifested by swelling of the legs and knees other than poor circulation, and thus denied his claim.

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by degenerative changes and a meniscal tear with frequent locking, is currently rated at 20% under the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Knee. The Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his symptoms and does not warrant an increase.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for right knee instability and initial rating for degenerative joint disease prior to December 23, 2008 was granted. However, his claims for an increased rating after that date and for TDIU were denied.