Knee decisions — 2016

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, including patellar tendonitis and ligament tears, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that a higher rating in excess of 10 percent for the right knee disability is not warranted based on current evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and providing the Veteran with a more current VA examination to assess his PTSD, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The TDIU claim will also be deferred until further notice.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's initial service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities were granted with effective dates of August 21, 2012. The earlier effective date claim is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that but for any errors would have changed the outcome.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for urethral blockage, right knee disability, and left knee disability are still pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to his service, specifically ACDUTRA or a service-connected condition. The VA examiner opined it was less likely than not (less than 50% probability) that the Veteran's right knee disorder was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate VA examination reports and incomplete medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee medial meniscectomy disability.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 30 percent, the highest available for limitation of flexion. The Board granted a TDIU effective May 2, 2005.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development to include obtaining a VA examination with opinions regarding both aggravation and secondary service connection.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increases in the staged ratings assigned for tinea versicolor, lumbosacral strain, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new VA examination of both knees, including x-rays of the right knee. The Veteran's left knee disability is being evaluated in relation to service connection.

The Veteran's left knee disability is characterized by painful range of motion, with full extension and limited flexion to 90 degrees. The preponderance of the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disabilities, degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, and an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and MDD) were denied as there was no evidence to support service connection. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosed condition in service or during the appeal period.

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is rated at 20 percent, and his lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent. The sinusitis rating remains unchanged, while the chondromalacia rating has been increased to 20 percent.

The Veteran's left shoulder disorder is rated at 20 percent, effective December 1, 2006. Service connection for a low back disorder and a left knee disability are granted.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's left knee disability was caused or aggravated by his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current right knee disorder, diagnosed as chondromalacia, is related to his military service. Therefore, the claim for service connection has been granted.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted service connection. The claims for left knee and low back disabilities, secondary to the right knee disability, are remanded for additional development.