Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VAMC records from February 2015 onwards and a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability was denied, and his claim for an increased rating for right ankle neuropathy was also denied. The issue of TDIU is not addressed as a separate issue from the service connection claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a travel board hearing. The issues are whether service connection can be established for defective visual acuity and whether new evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities (arthritis) as secondary to the service-connected residuals of a fracture of the left ankle, right ankle disability (osteoarthrosis), bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus due to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's arthritis of the left knee is found to be aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus.,The Veteran's arthritis of the right knee is also found to be aggravated by his service-connected bilateral pes planus with hallux valgus.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was received within one year of the June 2007 rating decision, thus keeping it from becoming final. The Veteran's right knee disorder is not shown to be causally related to service or any disease or injury therein.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the retrieval of his VA treatment records, as well as service treatment records related to his recent period of active duty. The case will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Veteran's right knee disability is related to his active service, and he has been granted entitlement to service connection for this condition.,His chronic gastritis is also related to his active service, and he has been granted entitlement to service connection for this condition. However, the issue of whether his stomach condition other than chronic gastritis (to include IBS) is related to his service remains pending.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to the withdrawal of his appeal regarding initial compensable disability ratings for ejaculatory anhedonia/secondary anorgasmia and scar, right little finger. The remaining claims are pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability. The preponderance of the evidence was against granting any higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total disability rating based on convalescence following his August 22, 2014 surgery was granted. The rating is effective from August 22, 2014 to November 30, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and lumbar degenerative disc disease, as well as chondromalacia patella and degenerative arthritis of the right knee and left knee, all related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 5257 for moderate instability. He also has a separate 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5259 for residuals of his meniscectomy.

The Board found that the Veteran's right TKR disability, when considered with other service-connected conditions, does not present an exceptional picture which is not adequately compensated by the current schedular rating.

The Board found no evidence of a service-connected right knee disorder or any other qualifying chronic disability, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease, representing a full grant of the benefit sought. The hypertension and diabetes mellitus claims remain pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records, particularly regarding his right knee disorder prior to June 9, 2014. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development due to the need for a video conference hearing. The specific issues of rating his right knee disability and adjustment disorder, as well as seeking TDIU status, remain pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development as his left knee and left ankle disabilities have not been evaluated in over four years, and there are indications of worsening symptoms.