Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination, and readjudicating the claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disorders did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and are not etiologically related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities have been rated based on limitation of motion. The claims for increased ratings are denied as the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's right and left knee instability warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for his right knee disability prior to June 1, 2011 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's osteoarthritis of cervical spine, lumbar spine, right knee, left knee, and left ankle did not have its onset during service or is otherwise causally related to his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities combine to a 90 percent disability rating, rendering him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for right knee chondromalacia patella and degenerative joint disease, as well as secondary service connection for thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease to a service-connected disability (right knee).

The Veteran's osteoarthritis of the right knee and left knee are granted as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and hip disability are also granted as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized as patellofemoral pain syndrome, has been rated at 10 percent since the initial grant of service connection. The most limited range of motion for flexion was found to be 0 to 125 degrees and for extension was 111 to 0 degrees during a June 2017 VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing all issues on appeal except for entitlement to an increased rating of his low back disability. The claim for TDIU was raised in conjunction with this issue.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service connected disabilities do not render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and secondary service connection have been granted. He is now rated at 20 percent for his left knee internal derangement, with a separate 10 percent rating for limitation of motion associated with arthritis. Service connection has also been established for an acquired psychiatric disorder due to aggravation by his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a videoconference hearing at the local St. Petersburg RO.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder disabilities, traumatic brain injury (TBI), cognitive disorder, NOS, and left knee disability on the basis that these conditions are proximately due to a service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 10 percent since the initial grant of service connection. The appeal is for a higher rating, but the current rating adequately reflects his symptoms and functional limitations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are sufficient to bring his combined rating to 90 percent, with at least one disability rated 40 percent or higher; these service-connected disabilities preclude the Veteran from maintaining gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling VA examinations and assigning separate disability ratings for the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right leg disability, including a right knee disability. The evidence does not establish that any current condition is related to his military service.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional medical records and personnel records related to the Veteran's service in January 1983 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.