Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to unsuccessful attempts to obtain treatment records from the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility. The case is now pending for further development and potential readjudication.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are not service-connected as they pre-existed service or were not aggravated by service. The Veteran's back disability is not service-connected as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service.,Service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including severe osteoarthritis in his knees and degenerative joint disease of the spine, have rendered him unable to dress, feed himself, or perform daily activities without significant assistance. The Board finds that he meets the criteria for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance from another person.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability and left wrist disability have been granted service connection, with the effective date for the left wrist disability being February 27, 1988.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and his claims for initial ratings higher than 10 percent for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome have been dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his right knee disorder and low back disorder. The case will be returned to the Board after completion of this development.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability and an initial compensable rating for cervical spondylosis, but denied the claim for a right shoulder disability. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his PTSD and ischemic heart disease, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's depression was not found to be related to service and was denied. Service connection for a right leg/knee disorder was granted, but no compensable rating was assigned.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination of his left knee and obtaining outstanding medical records.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including migraine headaches, left knee disability, right knee disability, low back disability, sciatic nerve disability, and depressive disorder, are not related to service. The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's disability status post left fibula fracture with surgical scar and post-traumatic arthritis of the left ankle and left knee has been rated at 20 percent since July 15, 2011. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, effective May 4, 2017. The Board has granted a non-compensable rating for the period prior to May 4, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease and right knee patellofemoral syndrome were denied as there was no evidence of ankylosis, favorable or unfavorable, at any level of the spine. The Veteran's range of motion testing did not indicate limitation sufficient to warrant a 20 percent or higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and thoracolumbar spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for appropriate examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are not related to his military service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral lower extremities disability, peripheral neuropathy of the left leg, and osteoarthritis of bilateral feet, knees, and hips were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions are less likely than not related to cold weather exposure during service.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current knee conditions are not related to his military service. The Board also found no evidence of a compensable degree of hearing loss in the right ear within one year after separation from service.,Service connection was not granted as there is no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current left and right knee disabilities or right ear hearing loss to his active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability. The current 10% ratings are considered appropriate.