Knee decisions — 2016

The Board has ordered the case back to the AOJ for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a VA examination. The issues of whether the reduction in rating was proper and entitlement to an increased evaluation will be reconsidered after this process.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability for VA purposes.,Service connection granted for bilateral foot and knee disabilities, with the latter being secondary to the former.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis is rated appropriately at 10 percent, his bilateral knee disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and his back disorder is not related to a service-connected disease or injury.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to address the etiology of the appellant's low back disorder and left knee disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee condition is related to service and grants service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disorders have been rated at 10 percent each, with the Board finding that his symptoms warrant this evaluation throughout the appeal period.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities were not sufficiently severe prior to October 27, 2014, to render him unemployable. The evidence showed he was able to perform sedentary work due to both his service-connected and non-service connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new examination regarding his right knee disability and scheduling of a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated at the minimum compensable level due to pain, but do not meet higher schedular criteria. The Veteran is entitled to separate ratings for his meniscus disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected left knee disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further examinations. The Veteran's claims of service connection for a left ankle disability, as well as his claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected left shoulder injury with degenerative joint disease, chondromalacia of the left knee, postoperative, and chondromalacia of the right knee, postoperative, are being remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for liver disease and secondary service connection for skin rash, bilateral elbow disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral ankle disability. The case is remanded to schedule a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's liver disease and whether any other disabilities are secondary to it.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the claims of service connection for hypertension, a right knee disorder, and a lumbar spine disorder, as well as the claim to reopen the claim for service connection for a left knee disorder. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his attorney, and as a result, the claims are dismissed.

The Veteran has withdrawn all his appeals, and the Board does not have further jurisdiction to consider them.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding the relationship between his current foot, knee, and back disabilities and his service-connected right ankle injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of cold injury residuals, diabetes mellitus, or a back disorder during his military service. His dysthymic disorder and left knee disability have been rated appropriately.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing on all issues.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and right shoulder disorders, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting new VA examinations.