Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding the severity of the Veteran's left knee retropatellar pain syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including hepatitis C and its secondary effects. The rating for hemorrhoids was also denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee condition, migraine headaches, and TDIU due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and severity of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and other issues are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequately developed records, particularly regarding the specific dates of service. The claims for bilateral knee and right ankle disabilities are being returned for further clarification on duty status.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed low back, left hip, right hip, and right knee disabilities as well as his depression, all of which are alleged to be secondary to a nonservice-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and information.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and right knee disabilities, as well as residuals of an injury to his left great toenail. The evidence did not show that these conditions began during active duty or were related to in-service injuries.

The Board has denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, deviated septum, sleep apnea, right knee disability, and vasomotor rhinitis due to lack of a current diagnosis or evidence of in-service incurrence. The claims are remanded for additional development.

The Board denied the veteran's surviving spouse's claims for Aid and Attendance benefits and nonservice-connected pension benefits due to a lack of evidence demonstrating that the appellant requires aid and attendance or meets other eligibility requirements.

The Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral syndrome with chondromalacia patella and posttraumatic arthritis of the right knee has become significantly worse since his last VA examination, necessitating a remanded evaluation to determine its current severity.

The Veteran's left knee disability, status post TKA is restored to a 60 percent rating effective November 1, 2014. The Veteran also has been granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities, as well as gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD). The case is being remanded to allow for new VA examinations and a review of the medical records.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent prior to July 22, 2015. The Board has granted a maximum schedular rating for the entire appeal period.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left ankle arthralgia is proximately caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right ankle and/or left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraines, low back disability, and other conditions, are sufficient to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to June 13, 2011, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not render him incapable of performing employment duties.

The Veteran's cervical spine and right knee disabilities were denied service connection. The left knee disability was also denied, but the Veteran did not have a current left knee disability.,For his mood disorder, the Veteran received an initial rating of 30 percent prior to August 22, 2014, and 70 percent thereafter. However, he is not entitled to higher ratings as there was no evidence showing total occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder and a right knee disorder, finding that there is no evidence showing these conditions are related to her military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for gouty arthritis of the left ankle, osteoarthritis of the left knee, and mild anterior wedging of L1 with disc space narrowing of the lumbar spine at L1-L4 were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.