Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of service connection for fatigue has been dismissed.,Service connection is granted for autoimmune hepatitis.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including PTSD and major depression, were granted. The rating assigned for GERD was increased to 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule a VA examination for hearing loss and tinnitus. The issues of service connection are still under consideration.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple conditions and theories of causation, including service connection for various disabilities allegedly related to poisoning during service. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, schedule appropriate VA examinations, and consider the Veteran's claims in light of his reported exposures.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and bilateral hearing loss, make it impossible for him to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that his combined disability rating is significant enough to preclude him from maintaining such employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disorder but denied service connection for a respiratory disorder. The decision is mixed as it grants one issue and denies another.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's right and left knee chondromalacia have been rated based on their respective limitations of motion, with the right knee receiving a 20% rating under Diagnostic Code 5261 for limitation of extension. The left knee received a 40% rating under the same code due to its more severe limitation of extension.

The Veteran's right knee disability was granted an initial rating of 20 percent from July 26, 2006 to June 16, 2009.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between the current condition and active service. The preponderance of the evidence supports this conclusion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed thoracolumbar disorder or bilateral knee disorder, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's right knee total replacement has been rated as 30 percent disabling, and the Board has determined that a higher rating of 60 percent is warranted based on chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness in the affected extremity.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, including recurrent subluxation and degenerative joint disease, is rated at 20 percent effective December 2, 2015. The TDIU claim was also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling additional examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected knee disabilities and depressive disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for an increased rating for his right knee and TDIU were withdrawn prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his left knee disability and right knee instability.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee disability, or stress fractures of the legs. The Veteran's claims were denied as there was insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration disability benefits records. The case will be readjudicated after the development.