Knee decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current symptoms of left knee swelling, pain, and atrophy are residuals from his 1991 ACDUTRA injury. As a result, service connection for residuals of left knee injury is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability began during service and is granted as service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for the period prior to July 21, 2012 was granted. The knee disability is characterized by ankylosis in flexion from 0 to 10 degrees.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of the evidence to ensure a complete record upon which to decide his claims for increased ratings for right and left knee chondromalacia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative changes of the left knee warrant a 20 percent disability rating, effective from May 30, 2003.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate medical opinion and inextricably intertwined TDIU claim.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him, warranting a TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy disorders did not manifest within one year of service discharge and are not caused or aggravated by his service-connected residuals of foot injury.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of his claimed bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed arthritis.

The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities require the use of knee braces, which tend to wear out or tear his clothing. The VA needs to obtain a medical certification regarding whether any prescribed medication for skin conditions due to these disabilities causes irreparable damage to his clothing.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disorders, finding no evidence of current diagnoses or causal relationship to active military service.

The Veteran's right knee condition, characterized by degenerative joint disease and arthralgia, has not met the criteria for a higher rating than 20 percent.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is sufficient to qualify him for a TDIU based on schedular criteria as of August 16, 2012.

The Veteran's initial rating for left knee patellofemoral syndrome has been increased to 10 percent, effective November 1, 2004. The disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or other functional impairment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities and low back disabilities, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Veteran's right femur fracture with total knee replacement has been rated as 30 percent disabling. A separate rating of 10 percent for arthritis of the right knee is granted.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for an increased rating of 10 percent from January 1, 2008, to July 25, 2012, and higher than 20 percent from July 26, 2012, for degenerative changes of the knees and left shoulder.