Knee decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the severity of her right foot and ankle disabilities. The case will also be reviewed to determine if she meets the threshold criteria for a TDIU or if it should be submitted to the Director of Compensation Service under 38 C.F.R. � 4.16(b).

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus in service and denied the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a bilateral knee disability.,The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's left knee and left ankle disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee degenerative arthritis was permanently worsened by an injury sustained during INACDUTRA in December 2004, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA and SSA records, conducting examinations, and reviewing the medical evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus. Further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for hypertension and right knee disability.

The Veteran's initial rating for a left knee disorder remains at 10 percent, with no higher ratings granted due to the current evidence not meeting criteria for more severe instability or arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and scheduling issues for a VA examination. The Veteran's claim is still active as he was granted an initial 10 percent disability rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, left ear hearing loss disability, and left knee disability. The claim for an increased rating for bipolar disorder was also denied.

The Veteran seeks to reopen his previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability. The Board found that corrective VCAA notice must be sent to the Veteran in accordance with Kent v. Nicholson, 20 Vet. App. 1 (2006).,The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability is remanded for additional development.,The Veteran seeks service connection for stomach problems secondary to medication taken to manage pain from his low back disability. The Board found that a VA examination and opinion were required before it could adjudicate the claim.,The Veteran seeks service connection for general pain throughout the body. The Board found that a VA examination was necessary for ascertainment of a disability manifested by such pain as well as for an opinion regarding etiology in the event that the a disability manifested by pain in the body is diagnosed.,The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability is remanded for additional development. The TDIU claim was found to be inextricably intertwined with the service-connection claims on appeal, as TDIU requires consideration of the impact of all service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's ability to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment.,The Veteran seeks a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disability. The Board found that he TDIU claim was inextricably intertwined with the service-connection claims on appeal, as TDIU requires consideration of the impact of all service-connected disabilities on the Veteran's ability to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee strain is related to his military service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating of 20 percent is warranted for the entire appeal period.,For the period prior to July 22, 2015, the Veteran's right knee disability was rated as noncompensable. Since then, she has been assigned a 10 percent rating.

The Board finds that there is no current right knee disability and the Veteran's reported symptoms are not supported by medical evidence. As such, service connection for a right knee disability cannot be granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for ulnar neuropathy of the right upper extremity, traumatic arthritis with loose body of the right elbow, and degenerative joint disease of the right knee. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) remains pending.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease as secondary to her service-connected bilateral pes planus, right knee arthritis, and left knee DJD. The remaining issues of increased ratings and TDIU are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities and for updated treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination and completion of the Veteran's VA Form 21-8940. The TDIU issue will also be addressed.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 10 percent since November 12, 2008. The evidence does not show that the disability warrants a higher rating during any part of the appeal period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.