Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing VCAA notice to the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records related to his right knee condition. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the rating issue.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations and consideration of outstanding Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including updated VA examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disability, finding that it is related to his active duty service.

For the period from February 9, 2007 to September 21, 2009, a rating of 30 percent for right knee post-operative residuals is granted.,For the period starting November 1, 2010, a separate 10 percent rating for right knee post-operative total arthroplasty with a surgical scar is granted.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease is rated at 20 percent prior to September 6, 2016 and 10 percent thereafter. His lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent. The Board granted the increased rating for his right knee degenerative joint disease and denied the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated as 10 percent each, with no higher ratings granted due to the severity of his symptoms not warranting a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities do not preclude her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with her education and work experience.

The Board denied service connection for joint pain, attributing it to diagnosed conditions not etiologically related to service. The claim for olfactory impairment was remanded by the Court and is pending.,Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome was granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing right knee disability did not worsen during his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The issue of left knee strain is remanded as it requires additional development.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left knee strain, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and migraine headaches are related to his military service.,Service connection is granted for left knee strain, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and migraine headaches.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for a right knee disability, bilateral pes planus, sinusitis, amenorrhea, gastrointestinal disability, hemorrhoids, and headache disability. Service connection is granted for these conditions.,Service connection is also granted for fibromyalgia and PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current left knee disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to an outstanding hearing request by the Veteran. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability and TDIU are being referred back to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's lumbar spine and knee conditions are not service-connected. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and service.

The Veteran's request for self-employment assistance through VA's Vocational Rehabilitation program was denied because his chosen vocational goal of owning a cabaret-style bar/restaurant is not considered suitable given his service-connected disabilities and lack of financial resources.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, knee, lumbar spine, ankle, hip, and shoulder disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection in any of these cases.