Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing and issuing a Statement of the Case regarding his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left knee degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, scheduling a VA examination to assess his bilateral knee disabilities, and addressing the impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis of the hands, knees, ankles, and feet was granted service connection based on its relationship to his service-connected rheumatic valvular heart disease. The heart disorder issue remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder and left hip disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records from Landstuhl, Germany, and reviewing his private treatment records.

The Veteran withdrew from appeal all issues related to increased ratings for various knee and spine conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to evaluate his current right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his right knee disability, initially rated as 10 percent disabling prior to September 12, 2011, was granted. The effective date of this grant is December 15, 2010.,A temporary total rating for the Veteran's right knee disability, effective from September 12, 2011, and a permanent 30 percent disability rating were assigned on November 1, 2012. The effective date of this permanent rating is December 15, 2010.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher initial ratings were granted, with effective dates ranging from May 20, 2002 to April 15, 2004. The Veteran also received a new rating of 10% for her right knee chondromalacia.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The decision found no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left hip disability or right knee disability for which he can be granted service connection. The Veteran's claims are denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability, post total knee arthroplasty, was rated at 30 percent from September 1, 2011 to June 16, 2016 and has been increased to 60 percent since then.,The combined rating of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities renders him unable to perform substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and experience.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is not related to his active service, and as such, he does not meet the criteria for service connection. The lumbar spine disorder claim requires further development due to inadequate previous examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not more nearly approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C and left ankle disability rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from October 13, 2009, to July 28, 2011. Prior to this period, his combined disability rating did not meet the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's asthma has been rated at 30% since May 12, 2009. The right shoulder and left knee injuries have not resulted in any compensable ratings.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and tricompartmental degenerative joint disease is pending before the Board. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his service connection claim for a sinus disorder was reopened, but service connection remains denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding no evidence of a nexus to service or service-connected conditions. The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with degenerative joint disease (arthritis) in both knees, which he attributes to injuries sustained during active duty and subsequent treatment.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, right knee degenerative arthritis, and hypertension.,There is no evidence of chronic conditions during service or within the applicable presumptive period.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a right knee condition that is etiologically related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development of records.