Knee decisions — 2016

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis of the knees, is not related to his military service. The examiner concluded that the condition was less likely than not incurred in or caused by a right knee injury during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining information about his medical training and experience as an optometry technician. The VA will also schedule the Veteran for a VA orthopedic examination to assess the severity of his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the criteria for service connection, a rating in excess of 10 percent for right patella tendon repair (knee), and a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain (back) have not been met during the period on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder on the basis that there is no evidence of any right knee condition during service or within one year post-service, and no competent evidence linking current arthritis to service.

The Veteran's left knee loss of extension is rated at 40 percent, effective August 1, 2007. The rating for the period prior to November 28, 2011, was increased from 10 percent to 30 percent.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, was caused in part by his service-connected lumbar spine, cervical spine, and left knee disabilities. The Board has granted the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's left knee disability, post-operative residuals of left medial meniscectomy with chondromalacia, is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The right knee instability (chondromalacia) is also rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during or within one year after his period of active duty and are not related to any incident in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence being added to the claims file and incomplete examination results. The Veteran's left shoulder disability may be related to service, but this needs further clarification from a medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability alone rendered him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's knee disabilities have been evaluated as chondromalacia, and the Board has determined that a rating in excess of 10 percent is not warranted for either knee.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to locate service treatment records and obtain medical opinions regarding the appellant's right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for Multiple Sclerosis, Anemia, Bilateral Knee Disability, and Right Hip Disability. The Veteran did not have these conditions during her active duty or within the presumptive period.,There is no evidence of chronicity in service, and there are no objective indications of current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee DJD and residuals of left knee injury post-operative medial meniscectomy were rated at 10 percent from October 30, 2008 through June 22, 2014.

The Veteran's lower back and right knee disabilities are service-connected as direct service connection. The Board finds that the Veteran's left knee disability is proximately due to his service-connected healed left fibular fracture.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability did not manifest in service or within one year following separation from service, and is not otherwise etiologically related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is proximately due to or aggravated by her service-connected left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings in excess of 20 percent for left knee removal of semilunar cartilage prior to October 30, 2014 and in excess of 60 percent for a left total knee arthroplasty since January 1, 2016 on an extraschedular basis.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work experience.