Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service-connected right toe disability is currently rated at 10 percent and has resulted in moderate to severe impact on his daily activities. The Board finds that a 20 percent rating, based on injury productive of moderately severe foot disability, is warranted for the service-connected right second toe injury with postoperative hammertoe deformity and neuroma.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent for his status post total right knee replacement was denied. The current evaluation is already at the maximum schedular level.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. The service-connected conditions are rated as direct, without any presumption or secondary basis.

The Veteran's left knee and thoracolumbar spine disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Veteran's cervical spine disability has not met the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records and conducting medical opinions regarding his right knee, right shoulder, and neck conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a new VA examination. The issues on appeal are related to the evaluations of his service-connected back and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new examination to assess the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder, secondary to his service-connected right ankle sprain, cannot be reopened as new and material evidence has not been received. The claims for bilateral foot, hip, and knee disorders have also been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ring finger, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee conditions have been denied.,Service connection was granted for a left wrist condition (rated as 10 percent disabling), GERD (rated as 10 percent disabling), lumbosacral strain (rated as 10 percent disabling), and left ear hearing loss (rated as 10 percent disabling).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was reopened and granted. The claim for service connection for a left knee disability is remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing.

The appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to address his service connection claims.

The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative joint disease of the right knee is granted as his current disability is considered a 'chronic disease' under VA regulations and he has provided credible testimony regarding the onset and continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's low back disability is service-connected as a direct result of an in-service injury. The right knee disability was not found to be related to the service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has ordered the RO to obtain additional private treatment records from Dr. Reginald Stewart and the Mississippi Orthopaedic Institute, as well as to obtain new nexus opinions. The appeal will be readjudicated based on all of the evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to provide her with a Board video conference hearing on the issues of service connection for various conditions and increased ratings.

The Veteran's petitions to reopen previously denied claims for service connection have been considered. The appeals are currently in the denial stage.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and treatment records, as well as further consideration of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, degenerative joint disease of the right acromioclavicular joint, synovitis of the right and left knees, bilateral pes planus, and deviated septum. The case is being remanded to issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) addressing these issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his left knee disorder and for any outstanding treatment records to be associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is not less than 70%, meeting the schedular criteria for a TDIU. However, the evidence does not demonstrate that he is or has been precluded from all forms of employment due solely to his service-connected conditions.