Knee decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary and the case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities were denied. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was established as meeting the criteria for a current disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination of his left knee and ankle disabilities, which are residuals of Reiter's syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for his claimed right shoulder and left knee disabilities, which are required to establish service connection. The VA examiner concluded that there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and active service.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis and PTSD. The remaining issues of right knee disorder, back disorder, and alcohol abuse secondary to PTSD are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, rated as 10 percent disabling for limitation of motion prior to April 26, 2013, and as 40 percent disabling since June 27, 2014, is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ankle, right knee, and right shoulder disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions had their onset during or within one year after service.

The Board denied service connection for thyroid disorder/trembling/fatigability and arthritis of multiple joints (hips, ankles, elbows, and knees) due to undiagnosed illness as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner to determine if the Veteran's left knee disability preexisted service and was aggravated during service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating based on current evidence.

The Veteran seeks an extraschedular rating for his service-connected left knee disability. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to allow VA to fulfill its duty to assist the Veteran in substantiating his claim.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected left knee disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant such an increase.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of TBI, right eye disability, and left shoulder and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 50% rating from September 28, 2010 forward.

The Veteran's back and knee conditions are currently rated based on their specific service-connected disabilities, but do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.,The Veteran is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including verification of his periods of federalized National Guard service and an examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of any ankle, knee, and back disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for migraine headaches, left knee disorder, and flat feet. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to noise exposure during service, while his current migraine headaches are not considered related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected DJD of both knees has been rated at 10 percent, with separate ratings for instability in each knee. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his bilateral knee disabilities and right renal cyst are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining recent x-ray records and any outstanding private treatment records. The claim will be reconsidered after this development.