Knee decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and a need for clarification on service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, hip disabilities, and low back disability. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and review by the Director of Compensation Service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The case will be referred to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service if additional schedular criteria are not met.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied. The Board found that prior to December 6, 2006, there was no evidence showing that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow gainful employment due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated clinical records and an orthopedic examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected knee disabilities. The TDIU claim is also referred for adjudication.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records. The TDIU claim will be adjudicated accordingly.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records from the Social Security Administration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for reopening service connection for left ear hearing loss, right knee disability, and right arm/hand disability. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 for below-the-knee left leg amputation was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the Veteran's character of discharge and his service in the Navy. The appeal for service connection for a right knee disability is held in abeyance until these matters are resolved.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted for right shoulder bursitis, left shoulder separation (previously considered acute), bilateral hand disability, and left hip degenerative joint disease. However, the claim for left shoulder separation remains denied.,Service connection has not been established for left shoulder separation due to lack of evidence showing a chronic condition during service or any subsequent continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his service-connected degenerative joint disease, right knee meniscectomy with total knee replacement has been granted. The Board also found that the Veteran is entitled to a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee replacement, finding that it is proximately due to his service-connected left knee replacement.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ankle and knee disabilities are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of chronic conditions during or within one year after service. The pre-existing fracture did not chronically increase in severity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, heart disorder, numbness on the left side of his body, right leg disorder (including right knee), and left leg disorder (including below-the-knee amputation) are not related to service. As such, these claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including an addendum VA examination to address the Veteran's right knee disability and its relationship to his service-connected left knee disability. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as intertwined with the other issues.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and consideration of the Veteran's claims, including whether his right knee disability is secondary to his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral ankle and knee disorders on direct and secondary bases due to inadequate prior opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and knee disorders, as well as his claim for an initial compensable rating prior to January 3, 2014, and higher than 10 percent thereafter for headaches were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a relationship between the claimed conditions and service.