Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran's left knee disorder is service-connected as secondary to his right knee disability.,For the rating period prior to September 20, 2010, a higher rating for his right knee DJD was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee. The issue of service connection for a right knee disorder is addressed in the REMAND portion and will be remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder and finds that new evidence submitted by the Veteran raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim. The Board is now required to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding whether the current osteoarthritis of the left knee is related to any aggravation during military service.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

Prior to June 27, 2013, the Veteran's right knee DJD disability was rated at 10 percent based on limited extension and flexion. From June 27, 2013, forward, a higher rating of 30 percent is granted for limitation of extension.,The initial ratings for DJD of the right hip and left hip prior to April 15, 2016, are not on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following all forms of substantially gainful employment prior to December 27, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left and right knee arthroplasties, tinnitus, fracture of the fourth metacarpal in the right hand, scarring of the bilateral tympanic membranes, status post bilateral tympanoplasty, left knee scar from arthroplasty, and right knee scar from arthroplasty, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has determined that his TDIU claim is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for his claimed bilateral knee and hip disorders, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a back injury, left knee condition, and left ankle condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right knee disability.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 60 percent, effective December 1, 2014. The appeal for higher ratings has been granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disability is not related to his military service and denied his claims.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee and low back disabilities on a secondary basis to his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including panic disorder and stress urinary incontinence, have rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability and bilateral knee disability are related to his active service, with no evidence of pre-service or post-service incurrence. The claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background.

The Board is remanding the case due to incomplete development of records, particularly from VA facilities where the Veteran received treatment between 1968 and 1980. The claims for right knee disability, left knee disability, and left ear hearing loss will be reconsidered after obtaining any outstanding records.

The Board found that the Veteran's right and left knee degenerative arthritis did not onset in service or within one year of service discharge, and is not etiologically related to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including arthritis and a torn lateral meniscus, was rated at 10 percent prior to August 13, 2002 and from October 1, 2002 through October 7, 2012. A separate 20 percent rating for instability is granted. The Veteran's left knee replacement and revision procedures are rated as 30 percent disabling.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling each, based on painful motion and degenerative arthritis. The evidence does not support a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.