Knee decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral knee disabilities are related to his active service, including as secondary to his service-connected back disability. The appeal is now pending again.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional examinations and opinions to address the severity of his service-connected psychiatric and muscle disabilities, as well as claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, hip, knee, or ankle disabilities.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a total left knee replacement, which he claims is related to his service and/or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claim can be decided.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis is related to his service-connected left knee arthritis, and the Board has granted secondary service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing. The issues of service connection and rating for bilateral knee disability, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss are still pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and providing an addendum VA opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current right knee disability was caused or aggravated by his service-connected left total knee replacement.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been granted, with the effective date set at the date of claim or prior to that if applicable. The Veteran is receiving the maximum schedular rating for his right little finger disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee chondromalacia was manifested by painful motion and granted a disability rating of 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension is due to his service-connected coronary artery disease and granted service connection for it. For his bilateral knee disability, the Board determined there was no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his military service.

The Veteran's initial claim for increased ratings for his postoperative left knee disability was denied as there is no evidence of compensable limitation of motion, arthritis with less than compensably limited but painful motion, subluxation or instability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability is at least as likely as not proximately due to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's fatigue, joint pain and myalgia are not due to an undiagnosed illness or a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness. The symptoms are more likely related to his diagnosed conditions such as cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, wrist disability, diabetes with neuropathy, PTSD, and fibromyalgia.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's chronic lumbosacral pain, finding that it is related to an injury in service. The remaining issues of service connection for a cervical spine disability, cardiovascular disability, and left knee disability are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability required the use of a rigid brace that caused wear and tear to his clothing, warranting an annual clothing allowance for 2013.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to incomplete examinations, and requested additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings was denied. The Board found that the criteria for an increased rating were not met.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability, residuals of a fractured fibula claimed as secondary to a right knee disability, and a right shoulder disability.

The Board found that VA's care did not cause the Veteran's left lower extremity amputations, as the condition was due to his pre-existing peripheral vascular disease and other comorbidities.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected left Achilles tendinitis and talonavicular arthritis, resulting in the grant of a higher disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have diagnosed conditions of bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy, a bilateral hip disorder, a bilateral ankle disorder, or a bilateral knee disorder. The cervical spine disorder is also denied as it was not caused by service-connected disability.