Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities, including degenerative arthritis, are not related to his active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease resulting in these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability did not have its onset during service and was not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. The preponderance of evidence is against the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability for the claimed left hand and right hand disabilities, as well as left and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's STRs do not show any in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions. Therefore, service connection cannot be established.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left eye, left knee, and left foot disabilities. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee and right knee disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the current assigned disability ratings adequately reflect the severity of the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, but the Board finds that a higher rating is warranted for both knees due to their functional impairment. The appeal is mixed as some issues have been granted while others remain denied.

The Veteran's left total knee arthroplasty resulted in intermediate degrees of residual weakness, pain, or limitation of motion. The Board found that the disability did not warrant a rating greater than 30 percent as his symptoms did not meet criteria for ankylosis or other specific diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right knee patellofemoral syndrome and associated instability, as well as a separate initial rating for right knee instability, were denied. Her claim for residuals of medial meniscus tear of the left knee also resulted in denial.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for posttraumatic arthritis, left knee injury, with chronic anterior ligament insufficiency status postoperative prior to February 18, 2013 was granted.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence of a current kidney, foot, or leg disability noted during the pendency of the appeal. The Veteran's claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's combined evaluation of service-connected disabilities is 90 percent, meeting the threshold requirement for TDIU.,His gastritis is rated at 10 percent and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right wrist disability has been granted. The appeal for service connection for right knee patella femoral syndrome was withdrawn prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing new VA medical opinions regarding the Veteran's knee and back disabilities as well as his depression.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues on appeal, including those seeking service connection for various conditions and disabilities. The Board does not have jurisdiction to further consider these matters.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and VA medical opinions regarding hypertension and herpes. The Veteran's claims of right knee disorder, left knee disorder, hypertension, and herpes are currently under review.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, particularly regarding his right shoulder, left knee, and bilateral feet conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to determine if his knee conditions pre-existed service and were aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for glaucoma is granted. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's current disability of glaucoma is etiologically related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his right knee disability and TDIU claim have been granted. The Veteran is now rated at 60% combined disability due to bilateral knee disabilities, which are of common etiology.