Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right knee, hip, or back disability that is etiologically related to either service or his service-connected hepatitis C. The claim for separate ratings for an acquired psychiatric disorder was improperly severed.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis is rated at 40 percent prior to April 7, 2014. The residuals of his right fifth finger fracture with traumatic arthritis are currently rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not related to his military service.,Service connection was not granted for obstructive sleep apnea, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a bilateral eye disability, residuals of a head injury, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorder, PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, memory loss, insomnia, or a sleep disorder.

The Board has granted increased evaluations for the service-connected left knee chondromalacia, left knee arthritis, and left hip disabilities. The highest combined rating available is 60 percent, which corresponds to amputation of the lower leg at the level of the thigh.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disabilities and their impact on employment. The case will be reviewed again after this additional development.

The Board has decided in favor of the Veteran, granting service connection for a right knee disorder that occurred during active duty training and was treated with an arthroscopy.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination and opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability, considering his lay statements regarding continuity of symptoms since 1988.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee scars, residuals of shell fragment wound (SFW), measure no more than 0.15 square centimeters and do not cause limitation of motion or function. The rating schedule is adequate to rate the disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right and left knee disorders, variously diagnosed, are proximately due to or caused by his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Veteran is also found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for a new VA examination and updated treatment records.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral elbow and knee disabilities are not service-connected as they do not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection under VA law or regulations. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation, nor is there objective medical evidence showing chronicity within one year post-service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right elbow, left knee, and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's right knee disability was caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability, and thus grants service connection for a right knee disability secondary to the service-connected status post medial meniscectomy of the left knee.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Osgood-Schlatter disease and left knee degenerative arthritis are causally related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection, finding no current disabilities or evidence of in-service injury. The Veteran was also denied service connection for a cracked facial bone under the right eye.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examination of his right knee, specifically regarding range of motion testing in active and passive motion, weight-bearing, and nonweight-bearing. The case will be re-adjudicated after this.