Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to a lack of recent VA examination and potential worsening of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection of a low back disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), but denied the remaining issues. The Veteran is being remanded for additional examinations to assess his current disability levels.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be due to in-service exposure to acoustic trauma. The right knee disability is not service connected.

The Board found no evidence of a headache disorder, vertigo, or right knee disorder in service and concluded that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left knee disability, including any functional loss due to flare-ups.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and right hip disabilities are related to his active service.,However, there is no evidence of hypertension in service or for many years thereafter. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hypertension.

The Veteran's left knee disability, prior to August 4, 2015, did not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent. From October 1, 2016 onwards, the disability warranted a 30 percent rating for total knee replacement. The right knee disability was rated at 10 percent prior to January 27, 2017 and remains at that level. A separate 10 percent rating is assigned for instability of the right knee from April 22, 2016 to January 26, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the range of motion of his right knee. The issues include increased evaluations and TDIU prior to January 15, 2014.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and bilateral pes planus disabilities are not related to his military service. The evidence does not show a current disability or any in-service injury or disease resulting in these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not service-connected, as they were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee and hip disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 30 percent prior to October 14, 2010. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings on an extraschedular basis, finding that the current schedular ratings adequately described his disability level and symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a right knee disorder, including as secondary to service-connected left knee anterior cruciate ligament tear. Additional development is required, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an addendum medical opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not show flexion or extension limitations sufficient to warrant a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is not related to any event or injury during his military service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and right knee disabilities have been granted, with a 10% rating effective September 8, 2008.

The Board denied service connection for left knee and left shoulder disabilities, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability or evidence of its onset during active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee and left hip disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected right ankle disability, thus granting service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for tinea pedis with onychomycosis prior to July 30, 2010 and a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar strain, status post L5-S1 discectomy from July 30, 2010 to December 6, 2010. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim was not addressed as it is not related to service connection.