Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service connection for tinea cruris and tinea pedis has been granted. The Board finds that the Veteran is entitled to a rating in excess of 10 percent for his migraines prior to June 21, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current state of his right knee disability, including any instability or arthritis. The claim will be re-adjudicated after the examination.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated at 10 percent each, with a combined rating of 20 percent. The Veteran is granted increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a right knee injury and granted it, finding that new and material evidence had been submitted. The Veteran's current diagnosis of degenerative joint disease of the right knee is considered in determining whether there is a relationship between his current disability and events in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of right hip, right knee, or left knee disorders and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal seeks an earlier effective date for dependency benefits, but the Board finds that no such effective date is warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and VA treatment records. A VA examination will be conducted to determine the nature and etiology of any lumbar spine disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's left knee disability evaluation from 20 to 10 percent was not proper, and denied his claim for an increased rating.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee ligament injury and instability were not rated higher than noncompensable prior to October 11, 2011, from October 11, 2011, to December 13, 2012, and thereafter.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, effectively dismissing his claims for increased ratings for a back disability and left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of his TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to adjudicate the veteran's claims for service connection of a right knee disability and blocked artery bypass of the right leg. The case is REMANDED to obtain all available service treatment records, including those from his period of basic training when he contends he was injured during a vehicle accident.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders as they are not considered to be due to an undiagnosed illness or a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness, and the Veteran has no other symptoms relevant to this claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back and left knee disorders are not related to service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for TDIU and basic eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's left knee disability was characterized by stiffness, some limitation of motion, a history of a tear to the semilunar cartilage and some laxity. The Board granted a 10 percent rating for the period prior to September 14, 2010 based on limitation of motion, but denied any increase in rating after that date due to lack of evidence showing more than limited flexion or extension.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to October 16, 2013 and granted a separate 10 percent rating for symptomatic removal of the semilunar cartilage. From January 1, 2015, the Veteran is now rated at 60 percent for status-post total left knee replacement.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for enhanced/higher SMC based on his multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The initial rating for right knee ACL repair and DJD was not granted, while the initial schedular rating for right knee replacement was granted but at a reduced level.

The Veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits under Chapter 31 of Title 38 was denied because she is already employed in an occupation consistent with her abilities, aptitudes, and interests.