Knee decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The appeals are granted.

The Board has found that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are as likely as not related to her military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for left knee and hip osteoarthritis have been withdrawn. The appeal regarding the increased rating for a herniated disc L5/S1, status post laminectomy, is being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was granted a higher rating for his lumbar spine disorder, but not for the left knee disorder or TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected conditions, all potentially related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Board has ordered additional development including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 20 percent for dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion. He also has a separate 10 percent rating for painful arthritis, and a 10 percent rating for instability. The issue of entitlement to TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a right knee disability, which is now granted as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The current right knee degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) was caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left and right knee disorders are not related to his active duty service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for further examination. Service connection will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development of his claims for service connection for various disabilities, including cervical spine, lumbar spine, left knee, and amnesia.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's left knee disorder, including post-operative internal derangement and subluxation, resulted in a 60 percent rating for the period from July 1, 2012 to February 24, 2014 due to severe painful motion and weakness.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to concerns about the adequacy of VA examinations and the need to obtain Veteran's medical records from a specific period.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his service-connected left knee disability, the severity of his left hip disability, and whether he is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow gainful employment prior to June 4, 2013. The effective date for the TDIU is set at May 10, 2010.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD and denied his claim for a right knee disorder. The decision on the right knee issue is pending further action by the RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability was aggravated by active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's disability rating from 30 percent to 10 percent for chondromalacia of the right knee, effective October 1, 2009, was proper based on improvement in his condition as shown by VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and left knee disabilities were denied. The arthritis due to trauma of the right knee was rated at a non-compensable level, right knee laxity at a 10 percent rating, and status post arthroscopy of the left knee, meniscectomy at a 20 percent rating.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the underlying claims can be adjudicated on the merits. The Veteran should be scheduled for updated VA examinations to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, as well as the etiology of his claimed tinnitus and right knee disorder.