Knee decisions — 2014

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen his service-connection claims for a right knee disability, lung disability and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's current disabilities are now presumed to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of his right knee disability was denied, and the claim for service connection of a low back disability as secondary to his knees was also denied. The issue of TDIU was added but not adjudicated in this decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disorder is being remanded due to the failure to provide him with an examination. The examiner will need to determine if he has a current right knee disability and whether it is related to his military service.

The Veteran's right knee instability rating was reduced from 10 percent to noncompensable effective January 1, 2010. The Board found the reduction proper.,The Veteran is not entitled to an increased rating for her right knee instability prior to January 1, 2010 or as noncompensable since then.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disorders are related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically depressive disorder NOS, is found to be related to his service-connected cervical spine disability. The issues of service connection for urinary tract infections and prostatitis are remanded as the evidence does not provide sufficient information on their etiology.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) records and VA treatment records. A VA examination will also be scheduled to assess the impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to work.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left knee replacement disorder has chronically aggravated his low back condition, and thus grants service connection for a low back condition as secondary to the left knee replacement.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including gastrointestinal and lower leg disorders, were granted with an initial noncompensable rating. The Veteran's headaches claim resulted in a higher initial compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of low back, left knee, sleep apnea, or heart disabilities and therefore cannot establish service connection for any of these conditions.

The Board found that a chronic right knee disability was not manifested in service or within one year post-service, and the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that his current right knee disability is related to his service.

The Veteran's traumatic arthritis of the right knee, status post arthroscopic chondroplasty is rated at 30 percent disabling. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals have resulted in a 60 percent disability rating from August 2009 to September 2010, based on the predominant residual being voiding dysfunction. The right total knee replacement has been rated at 30 percent since its initial grant.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain outstanding VA and private medical records, as well as for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his hypertension and hemorrhoids.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for post-traumatic arthritis of the left knee status post meniscectomy was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than June 8, 2009, for the grant of service connection for left knee instability and a 30 percent rating was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right leg disability, left knee disability, bilateral cataracts, and lung disability are all granted. The Veteran's current left knee disability is found to be related to his military service, as are his bilateral cataracts. Service connection for the lung disability is also granted due to in-service exposure to environmental hazards.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected right wrist, right knee and left knee disabilities are already rated at their maximum allowable under VA regulations. Therefore, no higher ratings can be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a VA examination. The issues are related to his service-connected right knee disability, including seeking an increased rating and reopening of a claim for a left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee instability, right knee degenerative joint disease, and right hip degenerative joint disease. The claim to reopen a service connection claim for lumbosacral spine disability was also denied.