Knee decisions — 2015

The Board has ordered remand due to the need for additional development of the appellant's claims, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying her current address. The appeal is currently in a pending status.

The case is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development and consideration. The Veteran will be provided a Supplemental Statement of the Case if any benefits sought on appeal remain denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his right knee and left knee disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, finding that his current condition is attributable to his combat service.

The Veteran's appeal for left ear hearing loss was dismissed due to withdrawal. The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability had its inception during service and granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The issue of service connection for a cervical spine disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected left wrist injury residuals are rated as noncompensable, and his arthritis of the left knee is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that a higher rating for either condition is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities were denied as the evidence did not show that they warranted a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a seizure disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability and has also granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board finds that the effective date for the award of a 30 percent rating for left knee DJD should be August 31, 2011, as this is when the Veteran's symptomatology first met or approximated the level of severity required for a 30 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's right knee disability, other than during a period of temporary total disability from March 13, 2009 to May 1, 2009, is manifested by limited range of motion. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on limitation of flexion or extension.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, including family relations; social avoidance; work problems such as verbal conflicts; obsessive compulsive disorder that interferes with routine activities; depressed mood and anxiety; hypervigilance and hyperarousal; impaired impulse control; and difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances. The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have not produced more severe manifestations that more nearly approximate total occupational and social impairment.,For the entire appeal period, the Veteran's chronic left knee strain is manifested by objective evidence of painful motion, extension limited to no more than zero degrees and flexion limited to no less than 130 degrees. The Veteran did not have lateral instability prior to May 4, 2015, recurrent subluxation, dislocation or removal of the semilunar cartilage, ankylosis, impairment of the tibia or fibula, or genu recurvatum.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability.

The Board denied both claims for increased ratings and initial compensable ratings, finding that the Veteran's claims were not properly addressed due to a pending request for an extension of time.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disorder. The claim will be reviewed again after additional development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left knee condition was rated at 10 percent prior to January 12, 2011, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter. Bilateral pes planus and low back pain conditions remain at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and ensuring all pertinent treatment records are obtained.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disorders have been attributed to known clinical diagnoses of chondromalacia patella, osteoarthritis, and patellofemoral syndrome. The claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders are denied as the disorders are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by a history and residuals of a right meniscal tear with frequent episodes of joint locking, pain and effusion, as well as recurrent subluxation of the right knee, is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board has determined that separate ratings for the right total knee replacement and the associated conditions are warranted.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities, with a 10 percent rating each. The decision also reclassified the existing 10 percent rating for left knee derangement as reflecting slight recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.