Knee decisions — 2014

The Veteran's low back disability, including degenerative changes, is found to be secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The right hip disability has not been diagnosed and thus cannot be granted as secondary.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a left knee disability, finding new and material evidence. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his in-service symptoms.

The Board has granted service connection for various disabilities and assigned initial ratings, but denied the petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA), as well as any associated service treatment records. The VA will also schedule examinations to assess the current status of his claimed conditions, including hearing loss, tinnitus, sinusitis, low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, diabetes, and lower intestinal disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain a new VA examination and consider the applicability of diagnostic codes pertaining to right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct examinations for his claimed low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The claim will be reviewed again after these actions.

The Veteran's claim for increased SMC based on the need for a higher level of aid and attendance is being remanded due to concerns about his service-connected conditions, including bronchiectasis with bronchitis and pulmonary fibrosis. Additional examination is needed to determine if he requires a higher level of aid and attendance.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic right wrist, left leg (shin splints), right ankle, or right knee disability that was incurred during service. The Veteran's symptoms were not shown to be related to his service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his right knee disabilities and reconcile previous examinations. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for DJD of the right knee and right knee instability are pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to clarify whether any current lumbar spine disorder is related to service or service-connected right knee disability and if so, whether it is aggravated by the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of his service-connected psychiatric disability and whether it renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for a right hip disability and anemia, but denied the claims for service connection for residuals of a total hysterectomy, uterine fibroids, bilateral knee disabilities, and anemia.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, foot, and neurological disabilities were denied. The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of service connection for left and right knee arthritis but has determined that there is no current disability of either hip or TMT joint. Service connection was not granted as the evidence does not establish a nexus to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing a VA examination regarding his ability to work.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities do not warrant increased disability ratings as they are currently evaluated.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for left knee limitation of motion and instability was denied. The current disability rating is 30 percent for limitation of motion, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board found that the appellant's right knee disability is not related to service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability, to include as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability, is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the medical opinions provided. The case will be returned to the Board for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (headaches, right knee injury, and hypertension) prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The case is being remanded for further development.