Knee decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for arthritis of the left knee and right knee have been dismissed as his appeal was withdrawn.

The Board has granted the Veteran's service connection claims for arthritis of the lumbar spine, bilateral knees, and left hip as secondary to his service-connected right peroneal and posterior tibial nerves, right buttocks, and right thigh injuries. The evidence shows that these disabilities are related to the Veteran's altered gait due to his service-connected right leg injuries.

The Board has remanded the appeal due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions and their relationship to service. The issues of service connection for various disabilities are being reviewed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding her scars and allergic rhinitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for right wrist, left ankle, right shoulder, and right knee disabilities are granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder and bilateral knee disabilities, render him unemployable due to their impact on his ability to perform the physical and mental acts required by employment. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise with respect to whether the Veteran can secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for psoriatic arthritis, claimed as patellofemoral syndrome of the knees and bilateral elbow, wrist, and foot disability manifested by joint pain is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for extensions of temporary 100 percent ratings based on surgical or other treatment necessitating convalescence due to his knee surgeries, finding that there was no evidence of severe postoperative residuals requiring house confinement or continued use of a wheelchair or crutches.

The Veteran's right knee disability was initially rated as 10 percent disabling, and a separate rating of 20 percent for episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint was granted effective April 8, 2014. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability remains at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities did not manifest in service, within one year of service, or are unrelated to service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings at any stage since the effective date of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected bilateral pes planus, right shin splint with residual knee pain, and left shin splint with residual knee pain are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board found that the current left knee disability, degenerative arthritis, was not incurred in service and is not related to a service-connected right knee disability. The claim for secondary service connection was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient detail in the January 2014 VA examination report. The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 30 percent disabling.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability, including Osgood-Schlatter's disease and degenerative joint disease, existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder was previously denied in March 1995. New evidence submitted since that decision does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for myocardial infarction is denied as there is no medical evidence of record showing he had a myocardial infarction during or after military service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for memory loss is denied as there is no medical evidence of record showing he has memory loss disorder.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for status post cerebral vascular accident (CVA or stroke) is denied as the earliest documented CVA occurred more than 30 years after separation from military service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as there is no medical evidence of record showing he has these conditions.,There is no indication that any of the claimed disabilities were incurred in or related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. For the lumbosacral spine, his condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes. For the left knee, he was rated at 10 percent prior to November 22, 2010, but no higher based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his knee replacements and diabetes, do not render him unable to secure or follow any form of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal has been REMANDED for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and VA treatment records. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral foot and knee disabilities have also been withdrawn.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate examination reports and the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his in-service injuries and current disabilities.