Knee decisions — 2016

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and service connection for right knee disorder and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hip muscle strain (also claimed as left groin/ left leg injury) has been reopened and granted.,Service connection is established for right knee meniscal tear, left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome and tenosynovitis, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA and workers' compensation records, as well as VA treatment records. The Veteran's right knee disorder and low back disorder claims are being reviewed.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of a left ankle sprain and residuals of a left knee injury have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee, bilateral hip, and back disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed back, right knee, and left knee disabilities are not related to his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to his military service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and medical opinions. The case is now pending with additional development required.

The Board determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee DJD and right knee retropatellar pain syndrome were denied as there was no evidence showing flexion or extension limitations warranting a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, which include right lower extremity varicose veins, stasis dermatitis of the right lower leg and foot, left knee degenerative joint disease, chin scars, and right shoulder degenerative changes with rotator cuff tendonitis. The Veteran's combined evaluation has been 70 percent since May 31, 2011.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current left knee condition is more likely than not related to a 1973 injury and surgery in 1975, rather than service. As such, service connection for his left knee disorder cannot be established.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of chronic disabilities related to his claimed conditions.,Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss, epistaxis, anemia/iron deficiency, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, neurological disorder (claimed as seizures), sleep disorder, and fatigue have been denied. The Board found no current diagnoses or objective indications of chronic disabilities resulting from undiagnosed illnesses related to the Gulf War.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling under the criteria for limitation of motion. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on additional functional impairment or incapacitating episodes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, including strain, instability, and degenerative joint disease, is related to his period of honorable service from August 1974 to August 21, 1977. As such, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need to obtain outstanding treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee and low back disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service, nor are they proximately due to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, resulting from total knee replacements, are rated at 100 percent effective July 1, 2006 for the right knee and May 1, 2007 for the left knee. This rating is based on the period following implantation of the prostheses.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was also granted.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain an addendum opinion from the September 2013 VA examiner regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis. The examiner should address whether it is at least as likely as not that the disability is related to active duty service and/or caused by or aggravated by service-connected pes planus.