Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of active duty service and obtaining VA treatment records. The Veteran's claims for left knee disorder, GERD, residuals of cold injury, right lower extremity sciatica, and right ankle disorder will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period from December 28, 2009 to September 30, 2011.

The Veteran's appeals for residuals of stroke and TDIU prior to December 22, 2009 have been withdrawn. The remaining issues are being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee condition is secondary to his service-connected left knee condition and granted service connection for this issue. The hearing loss claim will be remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a need for additional examination and development of her right knee disability, as well as the issue of TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and issuing an SOC in the matters of service connection.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate to evaluate the Veteran's service-connected left thigh and left knee disabilities, and thus remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's mood disorder has been productive of occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas but not total occupational and social impairment. The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability for any of the claimed conditions and finds that service connection cannot be established as the Veteran did not have a disease or injury in service that caused or aggravated these disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examinations and opinions regarding service connection for various conditions, including benign prostate hyperplasia, an acquired psychiatric disorder, hiatal hernia, GERD, PUD, chronic colitis, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, degenerative joint disease of both hips, degenerative joint disease of both knees, and degenerative joint disease of both feet.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right knee disorders are at least as likely as not responsible for his thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, cervical spine disorder, and left arm radiculopathy.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine, fibromyalgia, and left knee disabilities have caused unemployability since October 9, 2008. The TDIU claim is granted effective from that date.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination and to update the claims file with recent treatment records. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee patellofemoral syndrome will be reconsidered after these actions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, and right shoulder disability. The evidence did not support the Veteran's contention that his disabilities were related to service or secondary to his service-connected conditions.,There was no evidence of a current disability in service or within one year after separation from service for arthritis of the cervical spine. The examiner opined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is less likely caused by or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine and/or right foot disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his left and right knee disabilities was granted, with a 10 percent rating assigned for each knee. The decision also addressed the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left arm disability.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis, status post tibial osteotomy, was granted a 30 percent rating prior to May 23, 2009. Additionally, separate ratings of 20 percent for limitation of flexion and 20 percent for limitation of extension were granted.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 10 percent since September 1, 1993. The Board denied an increased rating for the period from August 23, 2005 to November 23, 2009.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip, knee, and shoulder disorders. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease that would warrant presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities are pending and will be remanded to allow for further development.