Knee decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee and lumbar spine disabilities are aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability, warranting service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying National Guard service dates. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered after this development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his sleep disorder, bilateral foot disabilities, and right knee disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a finding of in-service injury or disease. The claim was also denied for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for intervertebral disc syndrome and related sciatic nerve radiculopathy issues.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records, conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions, and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's left knee disability, post-total knee replacement, is currently rated at 30 percent effective November 1, 2016. The Board finds that a higher rating of 60 percent is warranted from this date.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, bipolar disorder, and depression is dismissed. The Board finds that the Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding this issue during a hearing before the Board in October 2016. Service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability is denied as there is no evidence linking the current condition to service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. The claims for depression, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral elbow and shoulder disability have been denied.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for service connection for multiple conditions, including right wrist disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, aching joints, right carpal tunnel syndrome, muscle spasms of the legs, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and muscle spasms of the arms.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar spine and left knee disorders are being remanded to the RO for readjudication in light of new evidence.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 5258. The Board has determined that the partial knee replacement surgery warrants a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5055, and the case is being remanded for further development including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial evaluation for his service-connected right knee strain is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral syndrome, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), eczema, and onychomycosis are all found to be related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lower back disability, bipartite left patella (left knee), and shin splints. The Board found that there was no direct evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's right knee condition has been rated at 20 percent since January 12, 2017. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for any period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee and bilateral foot disabilities are not related to his military service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection and exposure basis.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee, right knee, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities were not incurred in service. The evidence did not support a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.