Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service-connected left knee condition has led to secondary hip, back, and respiratory conditions. The Board granted the claims for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and considering all evidence of record.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 30, 2010, for the grant of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee was denied. The decision found that there was no evidence of a chronic disability involving the left knee at the time of his original claim in April 1992.

The Veteran was granted service connection for glaucoma and other conditions, but his application for S-DVI was deemed untimely due to a temporary mental incompetency resulting from medical treatment. The Board found that the evidence satisfied the requirement of satisfactory evidence of mental incapacity during any part of the two-year period following the April 2011 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the June 2014 VA examination and September 2014 addendum opinion are inadequate, and thus remanding for further development to address continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss disability or right and left knee disorders that were incurred in service. The claims for service connection are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and TMJ. The claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical spine stenosis was also denied as there is no evidence that the current neck disability warrants such a higher rating.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was initially shown to require regulation of activities on the March 22, 2012 VA examination. He has not had episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions that required hospitalization.,Prior to March 22, 2012, the Veteran's right calf strain and right Achilles tendonitis did not manifest in any muscle injury or ankle impairment. From March 22, 2012, the disability was manifested by tenderness to palpation and pain on movement, with no limitation of motion of the ankle.,Prior to February 24, 2012, the Veteran's vitiligo did not involve an exposed area. Vitiligo first involved an exposed area on that date.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including a meniscus tear and degenerative joint disease, warrants a 20 percent rating since August 22, 2012. Prior to that date, the disability was rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing and for issuance of an SOC on the issue of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disability and its impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service and the Board finds that he is entitled to service connection for this condition. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss, ankle disabilities, knee disabilities, foot disabilities, left eye disability, hypertension, and sleep apnea are presumed to have been incurred due to his exposure to noise during military service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals for impotence, PTSD, and tinnitus.

The case is being remanded for additional development of medical records and a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's right knee and ankle disabilities, as well as his HIV. The issue of whether new and material evidence was received to reopen a claim for service connection for right ear pain will also be addressed.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for right knee medial meniscus tear, osteoarthritis, and anterior cruciate ligament tear due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including a meniscal tear and degenerative joint disease, is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. He has been granted a separate rating for dislocated semilunar cartilage with episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and needs further examination for the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records, and scheduling examinations.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current degenerative joint disease of the left knee is not related to his active military service and therefore denies service connection.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU and his service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.