Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are so severe as to preclude him from obtaining or maintaining employment, physical or sedentary, which could be considered substantially gainful versus just marginal in comparison when realizing his level of education, prior work experience and training.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his right knee strain has been withdrawn by the appellant before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's right knee disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is pending as the evidence is insufficient to determine their etiology.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current lower back disability and thus, service connection for this condition is denied. The VA examinations are needed to determine appropriate evaluations for PTSD, left shoulder separation with bursitis, and mild anterolisthesis of the cervical segment of the spine.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and lumbar spine disabilities, including consideration of recent lay statements and medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran was granted service connection for left knee chondromalacia patella, headache disorder, and irritable bowel syndrome. He does not have a current chronic fatigue disability that is separate from his service-connected PTSD.,The VA Persian Gulf examinations found no evidence of fatigue related to active duty in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations.

The Veteran's arthritis of the right knee is currently rated at 20 percent, which adequately compensates for his symptoms and functional impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The issues include service connection for left knee disability, low back disability (secondary to left knee), and TDIU.

The Veteran's death was related to military service, and he may have been eligible for government life insurance. However, the VA has determined that there is a positive association between exposure to herbicides and the subsequent development of respiratory cancers of the lung, which led to his death from a presumptive disability associated with Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's claim is granted as the medical expenses incurred for emergency room services at Carondelet Holy Cross on April 23, 2013 are authorized and reimbursable due to a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back, right knee, and right shoulder disabilities are not related to his active service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of chronicity or incurrence during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current level of severity of her service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his left knee disability and residuals of pneumonia.

The Veteran's current disabilities of the right foot, right knee, left leg, and low back are not considered to be related to his in-service shrapnel injuries. The Board finds that there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for a low back disability secondary to his knees, were granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling an examination to determine the current severity of her right knee disability.

The Board has granted restoration of a 10 percent rating for the service-connected left knee meniscus tears, effective July 3, 2007.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is service-connected, but his diabetes and sleep apnea are not.