Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at Multicare Orthopedics on October 8, 2012 is granted as the VA Puget Sound Health Care System staff provided authorization for the non-VA treatment and the appeal is based on a direct service connection issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and left knee disability did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The inguinal hernia was found to be noncompensably disabling.

The Board denied service connection for right hip and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and an extraschedular rating for his right knee disability are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports, ongoing pain, and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including severe osteoarthritis of the right knee and instability of the right knee, preclude him from obtaining gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience. The Board grants a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee disability has been granted, with a rating of 20 percent effective from March 23, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating was received within one year of the granting of his other claims (lumbar spine, bilateral hip and PTSD disabilities) for compensation. The earliest date as of which it is ascertainable that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment is November 14, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral knee disabilities and their impact on his daily life.

The Board found no evidence of a right knee disability during service or within the presumptive period, and concluded that any current right knee disability is not related to service-connected left knee disorder.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left knee disability, TBI residuals, and erectile dysfunction have been granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's knee disabilities were aggravated by service-connected conditions. The appeal will be returned to the AOJ after this additional development is completed.

The Veteran's claims have been granted in part. He was awarded a 20 percent disability rating for his service-connected postoperative bilateral heel spurs with plantar fasciitis, and the extension of a temporary total rating based on convalescence following surgery is also granted. The increased ratings for his left knee disability are also granted.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of arthritis of the knees and finds that it is related to service. The Veteran's current treatment records show degenerative joint disease in both knees, which he attributes to his service-connected left knee condition.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board issuing a 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 service-connected disabilities and the etiology of his skin cancers.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The left knee disability is also found to be related to service, with the condition being diagnosed as left proximal tibia Paget's disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back and right knee disabilities are not related to his service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case for an additional VA examination to address whether the Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee disabilities and whether he meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU. The case will be readjudicated in light of all evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and bilateral knee disabilities.