Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis for the claimed low back, bilateral flat feet, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability secondary to his right knee disability was also denied as there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left lower extremity conditions, including her knee injuries and arthritis, are not related to service. The evidence does not show a nexus between any current condition and in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and failure to obtain all relevant medical records. The Veteran's right knee degenerative changes need to be re-evaluated by a VA examiner who must include range of motion measurements for painful joints on both active and passive motion, and in weight bearing and non-weight bearing.

The Veteran's right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome have been rated at 10 percent since the effective date of service connection. The Veteran's PTSD has also been rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right knee disorder has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU on an extra-schedular basis has been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease with ACL tear and meniscal tear is found to be etiologically related to his period of active duty service, thus granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee, meniscal tear and tendonitis of the right knee, kidney condition, and PTSD have all been denied. The Board finds that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral patellar tendonitis, and for obtaining any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board is remanding the claims for further development and an additional VA examination to address whether any new disabilities are related to VA treatment, including alcohol use.

The Board found no evidence to support a direct relationship between the Veteran's in-service right knee injury and his current right knee osteoarthritis, thus denying service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing at the RO for issues including an increased disability rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae with acne, service connection for arthritis of the right hand and knees/shoulders, PTSD, and TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected knee disabilities and an examination to determine if he is unemployable due to these conditions.

The Veteran's left knee disability, which includes status post total left knee joint replacement, is rated at 60 percent effective October 1, 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is service-connected, but his left knee disability cannot be linked to service. The right knee issue was granted, while the left knee issue remains unresolved.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and finds that it had its onset during his military service. The right knee disability is being remanded as additional development is needed to determine its etiology.

The Board has granted the Appellant's claim for special monthly pension (SMP) based on the need for regular aid and attendance, as she requires assistance from her daughter to manage daily activities due to her health conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a current right leg or left leg disorder related to service, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for vision loss and blindness, as well as his claims for PTSD, bilateral shoulder disability, and bilateral knee disability. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.