Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's right knee disability, post-reconstruction and anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus repair with arthritis, is currently rated at 10 percent. The VA examiner found no ankylosis or instability, but limited flexion to 120 degrees and extension to 0 degrees. There was no evidence of subluxation or dislocation.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic lumbosacral strain, but denied service connection for bilateral knee and left shoulder conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new examination of his left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and providing an opinion regarding the Veteran's employability given his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing at the RO before a Veterans Law Judge due to the Veteran's request.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder and knee disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a clarification of whether his conditions are related to his in-service duties as a multichannel transmission systems operator/maintainer.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of recent treatment records, and the Veteran's left knee disability may have worsened since his last VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his knee disabilities and migraine headaches were denied. The Board found that the current evaluations adequately reflected the severity of the Veteran's conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disorder is secondary to his service-connected right knee disorder and grants the claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence regarding the specific in-service knee surgery. The Veteran is also granted service connection for tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar spine, right knee, right elbow, and left elbow is secondary to his service-connected Reiter's syndrome. The initial ratings for these conditions have been granted.

The Board granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and a 10 percent disability rating for right knee DJD, effective from the date of the decision. The Court remanded the case to consider whether there was any in-service stressor related to his psychiatric condition.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 20 percent for both right and left knee disabilities, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee chondromalacia and sprain is related to his active service, specifically repeated trauma from parachute jumps during his time as a paratrooper. As such, the claim for service connection for a right knee disability is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's left and right knee degenerative joint diseases do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Board has found that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are due to injuries sustained during Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) and/or Inactive Duty for Training (INACDUTRA). As such, service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, including PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome, and undiagnosed illnesses. The case is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence was received to reopen the tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, right and left knee disability, left and right ankle disability, right and left wrist disability, and vertigo claims. However, hypertension and sleep apnea were not shown during or within one year after service and there is no competent medical opinion linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess his occupational impairment due to service-connected disabilities and an opinion on whether he can secure substantially gainful employment.