Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and separate rating are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to clarify the nature and severity of his service-connected conditions, specifically PTSD and brain trauma residuals.

Service connection granted for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and a compression disorder of the thoracic spine.,Service connection granted for right foot plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's appeal of an increased rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbar fibromyositis has been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issues regarding a right knee disability and a left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the severity, frequency and duration of flare-ups in the Veteran's left knee for the period from July 22, 2009, to August 9, 2013. The Veteran is asked to provide this information so that a VA examiner can estimate the level of functional loss in his knee during these periods.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral knee disability, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and throat cancer due to incomplete medical records and lack of a nexus opinion.

The Veteran's appeals for evaluations in excess of 50 percent prior to February 8, 2017, and in excess of 70 percent thereafter, for unspecified mental disorder; entitlement to a TDIU; service connection for left and right knee disabilities; and service connection for sleep apnea have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawals. The Board has also remanded claims for evaluations for bilateral knee disabilities and service connection for sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee arthritis and thoracolumbar spine disability, both claimed as related to the Veteran's military service. The conditions are presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the left knee disability, including a separate evaluation for locking and other manifestations of semilunar cartilage. The Veteran is also seeking increased evaluations for limitation of extension and an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee, left knee, left hand/ring finger, lower back, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities. The maximum schedular rating of 10% is assigned for tinnitus.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including degenerative joint disease and meniscal/cartilage injury, is rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5003 for noncompensable limitation of motion. The Board denied an increased rating as the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current symptoms.

The Board has decided that a medical examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's cervical spine and bilateral knee conditions are related to his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome (IDS) of the thoracolumbar spine, or if they are separate conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone did not preclude him from obtaining and retaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right knee disorder may be related to his military service, but more evidence is needed to determine if it is secondary to a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability is currently rated as 30 percent disabling, effective from January 11, 2016. The Board has remanded the case for a new examination to assess the current severity of his right knee disability and for any outstanding treatment records to be obtained.

The Board denied service connection for right knee patellofemoral syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Peyronie's disease, and urinary incontinence as they are not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for posttraumatic degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the left knee and left knee laxity, finding that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disability following a July 1993 left total hip replacement is being remanded due to the need for an updated VA examination and medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to their death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as they have become moot.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for his service-connected left and right knee chondromalacia disabilities have been denied as the evidence does not show that his symptoms more nearly approximate a higher disability rating.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee arthritis, left foot frostbite residuals (claimed as peripheral neuropathy), and right foot frostbite residuals (claimed as peripheral neuropathy).