Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU rating for the entire appeal period due to his service-connected disabilities, which preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has found substantial compliance with its remand directives. The Veteran's claims for service connection, increased rating, and TDIU are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are reasonably shown to be of such nature and severity as to preclude his participation in any regular substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran with a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee arthritis and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA examinations and records. The issues include evaluations for various service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for new VA examinations to evaluate his bilateral SNHL, bilateral foot condition, bilateral knee condition, tension headaches, back condition, and muscle and joint pain.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination for PTSD and ensuring all relevant medical records are associated with the claims file.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and right knee degenerative joint disease were not incurred or aggravated by his military service. The claim for hypertension was denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosis within one year post-service, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a link between current disability and service. For the right knee issue, the Board found that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of his claim for an increased rating for subchondral sclerosis of the left knee with osteophyte and effusion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied due to failure to report for VA examinations without good cause, and the Board found no evidence of a link between service or a service-connected disability and his current psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his right knee disability and whether any additional disability (to include nerve damage) is due to carelessness or negligence on the part of VA providers.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and found that the Veteran's left knee pain with limitation of motion is related to his military service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, including sleep disturbances, remains pending.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea have been withdrawn. The remaining issues of service connection for right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to ensure full compliance with the duty to assist, including obtaining additional medical evidence and scheduling a VA examination for his knee disabilities. The issues on appeal will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected lower back disability, right knee instability, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and determining if there are any new or material pieces of evidence that could support reopening of his claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the loss of use of both lower extremities, such as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair. Therefore, she is entitled to specially adapted housing but not special home adaptations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen his claims for service connection of a bilateral leg/knee condition and back condition. Further development is needed before these claims can be adjudicated.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.

The Board has determined that service connection is granted for arthritis of the lumbar spine, osteoarthritis of the left knee, and osteoarthritis of the right knee.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.