Knee decisions — 2017

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities have been evaluated based on their current manifestations, and the evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, sciatic nerve impairment, bilateral hip disability, and bilateral knee disability. The claim for residuals of a cold injury to the right hand is pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a seizure disorder, left knee disability, hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for stomach ulcers is denied. The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Codes 5010-5259, and the appeal is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected left tibia disability is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his back and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to address the nature and likely etiology of his low back disability and the current severity of his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and/or opinions, as well as obtaining relevant treatment records from the VA clinics in Oakwood, Georgia, and Huntington VAMC.

The Veteran has withdrawn all his appeals, stating that he is satisfied with the recent rating/award letter.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims and found that there is new and material evidence to support service connection for a left hand disorder, low back disorder, left knee disorder, and neck disorder. The diagnoses are supported by private medical records and VA examinations. The in-service injuries have been established, and the relationship between current disabilities and service has also been established.

The Veteran's right knee disability was reduced to a 10 percent rating in June 2015, but the Board has determined that restoration of the 20 percent rating is warranted based on evidence showing improvement.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hammertoe, left knee arthritis, and right knee arthritis disabilities are not etiologically related to service. As such, the claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated as 10 percent disabling, and his left knee disability prior to July 9, 2012, was also rated at 10 percent. From September 1, 2013, the Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 60 percent due to chronic residuals of total knee replacement.

The Board has ordered the VA to attempt to obtain a consultation report from Dr. P.V., who provided an opinion linking the Veteran's current left knee disability to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of the record.

The Veteran's posttraumatic osteoarthrosis of the right knee is etiologically related to active service, and the Board finds in favor of granting service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been found to preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, leading to a grant of TDIU effective March 23, 2013.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder and left knee disability were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of a current disability at the time of filing, and there was insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between the conditions and service.