Knee decisions — 2015

The appellant's claims for higher ratings and service connection for low back and right knee disabilities were denied.,There is no evidence of a current disability related to military service or service-connected residuals of left distal tibia and fibula fracture.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the right and left knees, finding that the Veteran's current knee conditions are related to his active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his inability to leave the house, perform activities of daily living such as bathing, toileting, and dressing, and manage his environment safely.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, TMJ, and other conditions are being considered. The Board has found the evidence to be in equipoise on whether these disorders were incurred during service.,Service connection is granted for a lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and migraines.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a recurrent lumbar spine disorder, basic eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adaptive housing and basic eligibility for assistance in acquiring a special home adaptation grant to the RO for additional action.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities and TDIU have been granted. His left knee disability is rated as 10 percent disabling from October 10, 2008, to October 31, 2012, and as 60 percent disabling starting November 1, 2012. His right knee disability was rated at 100 percent from December 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009, and as 10 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee degenerative joint disease and low back disability were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for either condition prior to November 18, 2011, or an extraschedular rating throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for left and right knee patella femoral syndrome have been granted, with the effective dates being November 14, 2007, and February 18, 2014 respectively. The current disability ratings are noncompensable (0 percent) from November 14, 2007 to February 18, 2014 for both knees, and 20 percent from February 18, 2014.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, as there is no competent medical evidence linking his claimed disabilities to service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a December 2009 orthopedic examination, which did not address the extent of his limitation of lumbar motion during flare-ups or indicate the degree of additional impairment caused by pain following repetitive motion. The case will be returned for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability has been rated at 10 percent for limitation of flexion, extension, and instability. The appeal is denied as the criteria for a higher rating are not met.

The Board has ordered additional development of the Veteran's service treatment records from Beale Air Force Base to determine if they contain information relevant to his claims for left knee and low back disabilities.

The Board found no evidence of a right knee injury or condition during service and concluded that the Veteran's current right knee disorder is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's right and left knee strain with arthritis were evaluated at a 10% rating each for the specified periods, but no higher due to the severity of symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal for the reduction of evaluations for various service-connected conditions has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a videoconference hearing. The claims related to cervical spine, flat feet, bilateral knee disorder, stomach pain, right leg length discrepancy, bowel disorder, and Eustachian tube dysfunction are pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral knee, elbow, hip, shoulder, and hand disabilities are related to his active service. The evidence supports a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing at his local RO.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been dismissed as she withdrew her claims prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient examination reports and the need for additional VA treatment records. The issues of entitlement to a compensable initial disability rating for a service-connected right knee disability, entitlement to service connection for right ear hearing loss, and entitlement to service connection for cold injury residuals to the feet are being remanded.