Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including abdominal adhesions and knee strains, combine to meet the criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for arthritis of the right distal interphalangeal joint, degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, and depression have all been granted. The Board has found that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection and a rating of 10 percent for his right knee internal derangement status post meniscectomy is denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including limitation of motion and instability, was denied higher ratings from November 2, 2010 to April 1, 2014. Effective April 1, 2014, the rating for a total right knee replacement was also denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating of right knee instability and service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability, and that there was no diagnosed illness of chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Veteran's left knee disability is not rated higher than 10 percent due to lack of x-ray evidence of involvement in two or more major joints with occasional incapacitating exacerbations. The case has been remanded for further evaluation and consideration of TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's left and right knee patellofemoral pain disabilities are each rated at a 10 percent evaluation, effective from the date of the May 2014 rating decision.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, finding that these conditions are related to his active military service.

The Veteran's right knee instability, strain, and scars are rated at 10 percent each. The combined rating is less than the minimum required for TDIU (60% or more disability).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that her current condition did not begin during active service and is not related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's in-service knee injury and his current right knee disability. The Veteran is asked to provide information about any private medical providers who have treated his right knee, and a VA examination will be scheduled to determine if there is a causal link.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative changes of the left knee, claimed as left knee strain, is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and requests for additional evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's left knee arthrosis with limitation of extension warranted a 10 percent rating, while his right knee arthrosis with meniscal tear did not warrant any higher rating. Service connection was remanded for further review.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, peptic ulcer, prostatitis, and hypercholesterolemia as the evidence did not show a relationship to service.,Service connection was also denied for type II diabetes mellitus due to lack of evidence showing exposure to herbicide agents during active service.

The Board has decided to remand two issues related to the Veteran's left knee disabilities due to a lack of proper range of motion testing in the VA examination. The Veteran will need to undergo another examination to address these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various spinal, nerve, joint, and psychiatric disabilities have been dismissed as the Veteran has withdrawn his appeal of these issues. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to new evidence.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been reopened, but the issues are being remanded due to missing medical records and need for further examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee disabilities due to a failure to schedule VA examinations. The case is now pending and will be reviewed again after further development.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities were granted a 10 percent evaluation prior to March 3, 2012.,A 20 percent evaluation was granted for the Veteran’s thoracic scoliosis from March 3, 2012 to April 30, 2015. The lower extremity radiculopathies were granted a 10 percent evaluation starting May 1, 2014 and a 20 percent evaluation starting June 8, 2016.