Knee decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been denied. The Board found no basis to grant higher ratings or effective dates based on the evidence of record.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including verification of the Veteran's periods of active duty and inactive duty training. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Board hearing. The issues include service connection claims for various disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and granted service connection for a left knee disorder, finding that new and material evidence had been submitted. The condition is considered to be directly related to his active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, bilateral foot disability, and right knee disability. The case is remanded to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right knee condition was not found to warrant a higher rating, while the other issues did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from a Michigan VA emergency department and scheduling an orthopedic examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right foot disability is related to service, and thus granted service connection for a right foot disability. The issue of whether the Veteran's right knee disability is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right foot disability remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's left knee disorder is related to his service-connected peripheral arterial disease with left foot degenerative joint disease, and whether it was aggravated by that condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current back disability is related to his active service and service-connected disabilities, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations. The issues of service connection for residuals of a fractured nose and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a right knee disability are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination, and readjudicating the issues of increased rating for thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current right knee disability is related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and private medical records. The Veteran's right knee disability is being evaluated to determine if it is related to her active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and earlier effective date, finding no evidence of a current disability in most cases or no causal link to service.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 30 percent prior to July 21, 2012. A separate 20 percent rating for instability of the left knee is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his active service, and granted service connection for this condition. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been received in order to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for headaches; entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for service-connected fibromyalgia; and entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected vascular heart disease are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized as mild patellar tendinosis with effusion and slight lateral subluxation, has been rated at 10 percent since July 31, 2012. The rating for painful flexion of the left knee is also 10 percent effective from July 31, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical opinions. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Veteran's left knee, skin disorders (other than chloracne), and bilateral hearing loss are all found to be service-connected. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae and tinea barbae is remanded.