Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for left knee strain and left elbow disability are denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable initial evaluation for left elbow disability prior to February 12, 2010 is denied. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the left elbow disability from January 28, 2012 is granted.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 28, 2012 for service connection for coccygeal strain (claimed as tailbone injury) is denied.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective April 26, 2009, due to the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability. The Veteran's current right knee disability is etiologically related to his active service, and he also has a currently diagnosed back disability that is causally connected to his active service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals, requesting withdrawal for all issues except for the right knee subluxing patella issue. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is found to have had its onset during service and continues today, warranting service connection. The claims for the other conditions are dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a left knee condition that he contends is related to his service-connected right knee disability. The Board has determined that an addendum opinion is needed from the examiner who provided the medical opinion in September 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the severity of his right ankle disability.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the appellant's marital status and whether she was permanently incapable of self-support prior to reaching the age of 18. The case will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a low back disorder and bilateral knee disorders. The Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to support these claims, including VA treatment records and private hospital reports, which indicate chronic pain conditions related to military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal with respect to the claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and eye hemorrhages during a July 2015 Board hearing.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his service-connected right and left knee traumatic arthritis were denied by the Board. The evidence did not show any ankylosis, recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, dislocation of semilunar cartilage, impairment of tibia or fibula, genu recurvatum, flexion limited to 30 degrees, or extension limited to 15 degrees in either knee.

The Veteran's left knee disabilities were not found to warrant an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's right knee subluxation and osteoarthritis were restored to a 20 percent rating effective September 22, 2015.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, peripheral neuropathies of the bilateral lower extremities, left knee disability, left eye cataract, and psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are all found to be related to his presumed in-service exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities has been withdrawn prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude substantially gainful employment prior to October 9, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from 1999 to 2004 and providing an addendum opinion by a VA examiner regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the left hand, bilateral elbows, and bilateral knees as they were not related to his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Board found that there is no evidence showing a current disability of osteoarthritis of the left knee, and any such condition did not manifest within one year after service discharge. The VA opinions obtained in July 2013 and May 2015 concluded that the Veteran's left knee disability was less likely than not caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral foot and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran has withdrawn all of her claims on appeal, including those for service connection and initial disability ratings.