Knee decisions — 2018

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions of bilateral hands, knees and fibromyalgia are not service connected as secondary to her service-connected pes planus with plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's right knee disability claims are being remanded due to the lack of VA examination records and incomplete treatment records. The Board will request additional information from the Veteran and schedule a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's increased rating claims for various disabilities, including cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, left knee degenerative joint disease, bilateral pes cavus with bilateral heel spurs, left foot hallux valgus, right foot hallux valgus, posterior thigh muscle (muscle group XIII), hypertension, inguinal hernia, kidney stones, and generalized anxiety disorder. The claims will be reconsidered in light of the additional evidence received since the April and May 2016 Supplemental Statements of the Case.

The Veteran's service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities is granted. Service connection was also granted for a cervical spine disability, claimed as moderate degenerative disc disease (DDD), C4-5, C5-6, C6-7.

The Veteran's right knee replacement due to degenerative osteoarthritis is rated at 60 percent effective October 1, 2004.,Prior to August 23, 2007, and from November 1, 2007, to October 23, 2013, the Veteran's left knee arthritis and replacement associated with right knee replacement is rated at 60 percent effective December 1, 2014.,Beginning October 1, 2004, entitlement to TDIU has been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the lack of a current diagnosis of the claimed conditions. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for hypertension is also remanded as there is no evidence that his diastolic pressure was predominantly 100 or more, despite being on continuous medication.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for dizziness, right ankle disability, left knee strain, right knee strain, thoracolumbar strain with sacroiliac degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left ankle ligament strain, and PTSD. The remand requests additional examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities, finding no current disability. Service connection for migraine headaches was granted with a 30% rating.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate VA examinations and new legal requirements.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to incomplete development of the record, including the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 30 percent for instability, 20 percent for locking, and 10 percent each for flexion limitation and extension limitation. SMC based on housebound status from January 25, 2012 to present is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee conditions, including left and right knees with arthroscopy, meniscectomy, degenerative arthritis, and chondromalacia patellae.

The Veteran's MDD has been rated at 70 percent since November 14, 2017. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,For the entire period on appeal, the Veteran’s right knee PFS and left hip trochanteric bursitis have each been rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran is granted separate 10 percent ratings for each knee, but no higher. The right and left knees have DJD with meniscus injuries that limit range of motion without more nearly approximating ankylosis or other disabling conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee chondromalacia, finding that the Veteran's in-service complaints of knee pain and tenderness are consistent with current diagnoses.

The Veteran's GERD and hypothyroidism have been rated based on the severity of their symptoms. The Veteran is not entitled to higher initial disability ratings for these conditions.,For his hypothyroidism, the Veteran was granted a 30 percent rating from August 29, 2007, to October 12, 2009, and denied any increase in rating prior to this period and since October 13, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as he withdrew his request for service connection of a bilateral knee condition.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral cone dystrophy, DJD of the right knee, and DJD of the left knee. The Veteran's vision loss was attributed to nonexudative age-related macular degeneration, which began in 2004. His knee conditions were found to be due to aging rather than service.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a disability rating of 70% from June 27, 2017 to September 19, 2017. The right shoulder tendonitis and left knee strain with laxity are granted initial evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and additional medical records.