Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to unanswered questions and inconsistencies in previous opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his bilateral knee disabilities and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation prior to December 13, 2011.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as 0 percent disabling. The Board finds no evidence to support a compensable rating for his hearing loss. For service connection, the Veteran was not shown to have a left knee disability or migraines that are related to his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability does not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for pharyngitis as secondary to sinusitis and assigned a 30 percent rating for chronic sinusitis.

The Board has awarded a 30 percent disability rating for residuals of left leg and knee shell fragment wounds, effective May 6, 1948.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left knee arthritis and right knee limitation of extension, finding that the evidence did not support higher evaluations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee and left shoulder disabilities did not have onset during active service or within one year of separation, nor are they causally related to his military service. The VA examiners concluded that there is no evidence of chronicity of these conditions post-service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability and for additional VA examination.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee, right knee, lumbar spine, and right ankle disabilities have been denied as the Veteran failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Veteran's service-connected knee laxity and instability have been denied, but he is granted a separate 10% rating for each knee since December 4, 2014.,He has also been granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis associated with chondromalacia patella.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to issues with VA examinations, notification of such examinations, and service treatment records. The Veteran's claims for left knee and hip disabilities are being reviewed.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain updated VA treatment records, Social Security Administration records, and service treatment records. The Veteran is also asked to provide a statement regarding symptoms of his claimed pelvic disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to new evidence obtained after the latest supplemental statement of the case was issued in March 2015. The appellant is advised that he may submit any relevant VA and private treatment records in his possession.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee arthritis had its onset in service and granted service connection for this condition. The right knee disability is secondary to the service-connected left knee disability.

The Board found no current diagnosis of a left knee disability and denied service connection for this condition.,Service connection was not granted for PTSD due to the lack of verified in-service stressor, resulting in a mixed decision.

The Veteran's right knee disorder is found to be aggravated by service, warranting service connection.,For the period from November 4, 2009, through February 23, 2014, the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an initial compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 10 percent prior to June 11, 2014. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this period.