Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for instability of the right knee has been dismissed as he indicated satisfaction with his compensation increase and cancelled his hearing request.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic low back disability, but she does have a current diagnosis of DJD in both knees. Service connection is granted for DJD of both knees.

The Board denied service connection for insomnia, low back disability, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was granted a rating of 10 percent effective June 2, 2016.

The Board has granted the Veteran's application to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee condition and has determined that new evidence supports this reopening. The Veteran is also entitled to service connection for his right hip condition as secondary to his right knee condition, but not for his right knee scar.

The Veteran is granted a 50 percent rating for depressive disorder, and the low back disability is rated at 40 percent prior to July 25, 2016, with no higher. The right knee and left ankle disabilities are each rated at 10 percent, while the right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities are also rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including a VA examination for his right knee disability and consideration of whether an extraschedular rating is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings and service connection, with the majority of issues related to his bilateral hearing loss, rhinitis, right knee disability, back disability, and left knee disability. The case is being remanded due to new evidence received since the last supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability warrants a separate rating of no more than 10 percent for painful motion, and a higher rating is not warranted. The current 20 percent evaluation based on recurrent subluxation and lateral instability remains in effect.

The Veteran's claims for neck and left knee conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including right foot disorder, left foot disorder, left hand disorder, right wrist disorder, left wrist disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, neck disorder, eye disorder, lung disorder, and knee disorders. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his medical records.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his knee disabilities and a determination on the TDIU issue.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee instability and degenerative arthritis have been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board found that the difficulty sleeping is not etiologically related to the left knee disorder and thus, an extraschedular rating for the left knee disorder based on the manifestation of difficulty sleeping was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess his left knee disorder, as the April 2017 examination findings are inadequate and there has not been substantial compliance with the March 2017 remand directives.