Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including additional Compensation and Pension examinations to assess the severity of his right knee and left knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a contemporaneous VA examination. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for right ankle, knee, lower leg, upper leg, and hip disabilities are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral knee braces, which are used as prosthetics for his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, tend to wear and tear his clothing. The Board granted a clothing allowance based on this assertion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left knee disability and therefore, service connection for a left knee condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his knee disabilities and service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine have been denied. His current 10 percent ratings for arthritis in both knees are not supported by evidence showing more severe limitations of motion, and there is no evidence of ankylosis or other disabling conditions warranting higher ratings. The Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for his spine disability has also been denied.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for her right knee disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to October 14, 2010; from January 1, 2011 to March 20, 2012; and from June 1, 2012 to August 27, 2012. The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent since October 1, 2013 was also denied.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative arthritis with three scars has not resulted in a disability rating higher than 10 percent prior to November 2016.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar spine disability, increased rating for left knee disability, and earlier effective date for right knee disability are all pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The decision also denied entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate as there was no single disability rated as 100% disabling or a TDIU rating based on multiple disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee instability is currently rated at 10 percent, and his arthritis of the left knee is separately rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 10 percent for the Veteran's left knee disability, including limitation of motion and instability. The Veteran is also rated separately under Diagnostic Code 5003 for arthritis in his left knee.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA records from 1969-1970 and pre-service medical records related to the Veteran's left knee. The appeal will be reconsidered based on all evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further development. The issues of increased ratings for anxiety disorder and entitlement to TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's right knee bursitis is rated at 10 percent prior to September 2010 and at 60 percent from that date. The service connection for a right hip condition secondary to the service-connected right knee disability has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, characterized by degenerative arthritis with extensive cartilage loss, chronic ACL tear, and extensive medial meniscus tear, warrants a 20 percent rating for the entire period covered by this claim.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability, including whether it is related to service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 60 percent from July 1, 2011 and remains at that level. The Board also granted an automobile allowance for the Veteran.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a relationship between these conditions and his period of active service or to any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's skin rash was rated noncompensable prior to December 17, 2015 and 10 percent thereafter. The Board denied service connection for right knee and left knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to service.