Knee decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee arthritis is related to his active service and grants this claim. The issues of asthma and right shoulder condition are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure to schedule a Travel Board hearing. The case will be returned to the Board for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, conduct VA examinations for his obstructive sleep apnea and right knee disability, and to ensure all due process considerations are met.

The Board has remanded the case for issuance of a Statement of the Case and readjudication of the claims on appeal, including whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen previously denied claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee disorder, left knee disorder, right foot disorder, left foot disorder, and hepatitis C.

The Veteran's left knee disability, diagnosed as residuals of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with meniscal tear status post arthroscopic reconstruction, has been evaluated under Diagnostic Code 5258 for dislocated semilunar cartilage. The Board finds a rating of 20 percent is more nearly approximated for the Veteran's left knee disability due to frequent episodes of locking and pain. A separate 10 percent rating is also granted for lateral instability of the left knee under Diagnostic Code 5257.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the initial compensable rating for right knee strain.

The Board has restored the 10 percent rating for right hip and knee pain effective October 1, 2002. For the entire appeal period, a 10 percent rating is assigned for both the right hip and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee disability has not manifested in ankylosis, recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, flexion functionally limited to less than 100 degrees, extension functionally limited to 10 degrees or more, impairment of the tibia and fibula, or genu recurvatum. The Veteran’s left knee disability does not warrant a higher rating prior to April 22, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability is related to service, and thus grants his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, bilateral knee strain, allergies, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD is denied. The right ankle sprain and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine are each rated at 10 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability was incurred during her period of active service, specifically her deployment in Kuwait.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are found to have had their onset in service and the claim for chronic bronchitis is dismissed. Service connection is granted for degenerative joint disease of the left and right knees.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and extent of his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not etiologically related to service and did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Board has remanded the claim for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, including as secondary to service-connected low back disability and/or bilateral knee chondromalacia. The issue of whether lumbosacral DDD is secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain has also been raised.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 30 percent disabling from July 1, 2014 under the criteria for limitation of motion. The VA examiner found that the Veteran has limited flexion to 30 degrees and extension to 15 degrees, warranting a 30 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee injury is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities did not have their clinical onset in service or are otherwise related to active duty. The VA examinations provided clear opinions against the claims.

The Board denied a higher disability rating for service-connected posttraumatic left knee arthritis since November 30, 2009.