Knee decisions — 2014

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 60 percent since March 11, 2014. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted prior to January 1, 2009.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 30 percent since October 1, 2013. The Board denied a higher rating for the left knee and found no right knee disability related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has reopened the claim but denied service connection for a left knee disorder due to lack of evidence relating it to service, despite finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service injury. The Board found the Veteran's account inconsistent over time and not credible.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral knee condition, including degenerative joint disease, is not related to service and therefore denied his claim.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeals of the determinations in the October 2010 and March 2012 rating decisions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the left and right knee disabilities, as well as TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) of the Board.

The Veteran's current diagnoses include bilateral osteoarthritis of the knees and degenerative joint disease of the back. The Board granted service connection for these conditions based on direct evidence showing a chronic condition in service.,Service connection was denied for the Veteran's claimed back disability due to lack of evidence of chronic symptoms during or within one year after service separation.

The Veteran's appeal is for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent for his service-connected right knee disability, which was granted a 60 percent schedular rating effective April 1, 2012. The RO also granted an earlier effective date of January 31, 2012 (the date of the surgery).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee, migraine headaches, neck, and low back disabilities are related to service and grants service connection for all four conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting TDIU.

The Board found no evidence of a knee disability in service or within one year after separation, and concluded that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disabilities are less likely related to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 10 percent for degenerative joint disease, and a separate 10 percent rating is granted for an other impairment of the left knee diagnosed as a complex tear of the lateral meniscus with subjective evidence of giving way.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not warrant a higher rating based on their combined effect.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support a link between the Veteran's left knee condition and his active duty service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and entitlement to a total disability rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and further development of his claims.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee condition. The Veteran contends that he has a bilateral knee condition due to his active military service, but there are no VA or private treatment records associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's left knee disabilities, including osteoarthrosis patellofemoral and medial joint compartments with limitation of motion, as well as meniscal degeneration and ligament reconstruction, have been granted. The disability ratings for these conditions remain at 40 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including patellofemoral arthralgia of the left knee, gastritis and GERD, bronchitis, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, left ankle arthralgia, and left hip strain, do not render her unemployable due to her disabilities. The Board finds that she is capable of performing more sedentary employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of his claimed conditions, including as secondary to a service-connected disability.