Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and dental records. The appeal will be considered on a complete record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and initial ratings in excess of 30 percent for status-post right total knee replacement were denied. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to his active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disorders due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's right knee disability, specifically limitation of extension, has been rated at 40% since December 14, 2015. Prior to this date, the rating was 20%. The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's knee can only extend to 40 degrees during a flare-up.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and nonservice-connected pension benefits due to incomplete compliance with previous directives, including failure to provide proper notice of scheduled examinations.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection claims related to his acquired psychiatric disorder, low back disorder, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral foot disability. His cervical spine and right thumb disabilities were evaluated as noncompensable throughout the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a travel board hearing and to address the hypertension claim, as it may affect the adjudication of this claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his knee disabilities, chronic sinusitis, bronchial asthma, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. The issues on appeal are related to service connection for knee disabilities as secondary to other service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis of the cervical spine due to a lack of timely Substantive Appeal. The Board also found that there is sufficient evidence to support the grant of service connection for herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbosacral spine with left lower extremity radiculopathy and right knee strain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to failure to schedule VA examinations. The case is now back before the Board.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

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 determined that the Veteran's current bilateral knee and hip disorders are not caused or made worse by her service-connected right and/or left foot disabilities. Therefore, she is not entitled to service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the service-connected right knee disability and denied a compensable rating for stress fractures of the right 2nd and 4th toes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his left and right knee disabilities, as well as his low back disability. The issues regarding increased ratings will be reconsidered based on the results of this examination.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen several service connection claims, but the evidence is not sufficient to establish service connection for all of the conditions listed.

The Veteran's painful surgical scars, status-post right knee meniscectomy, have been granted a 10 percent disability rating effective September 17, 2004.