Knee decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability and right ear hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to her service-connected right knee disabilities, including increased evaluations and a TDIU. The claims are currently on remand for additional development.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated based on their specific conditions, with separate evaluations for each condition. The claims are granted.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and effective date was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran wanted to withdraw his appeal for a higher rating for right knee instability.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, PTSD, and left knee arthritis. The Board denied service connection for left elbow disability and left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are denied due to his own willful misconduct in the motor vehicle accident of April [redacted], 1975. The Board found that none of the conditions claimed were related to active military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to an inadequate medical opinion in August 2010, which did not consider whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or contributed to his death from blunt force head trauma.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including issuance of Statements of the Case and scheduling a videoconference hearing. The issues include rating an increased disability for bilateral pes planus, service connection for various disabilities, and review of a reduction in rating for plantar fasciitis.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back and right knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor are they proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for a complete examination of the Veteran's knee conditions, including consideration of private treatment records from the mid-1980s and thereafter.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder did not manifest during service or for many years thereafter and is not otherwise related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for left knee instability was denied. He currently has separate ratings of 10 percent for arthritis and 30 percent for limitation of extension, with the instability rated at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left and right knee disabilities are not attributable to disease or injury sustained during her period of service, nor caused or aggravated by a service-connected disease or injury. Therefore, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional opinions from the VA examiner regarding right knee flare-ups and left knee aggravation.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee strain and acromioclavicular (shoulder) DJD do not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment consistent with his level of education and occupational experience.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated at 10 percent since May 31, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration (SSA) disability records.

The Veteran's disability rating for his left knee condition was reduced from 30% to 10%, effective August 1, 2009. The reduction is granted as the evidence does not show improvement in his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to appear at a scheduled travel board hearing. The claims are now pending for further action.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a BVA hearing. The Veteran's appeal includes claims for various conditions and whether new evidence supports reopening of his left wrist condition claim.