Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for tinnitus, left shoulder disability, left elbow disability, left and right knee disabilities, and bilateral hearing loss due to additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disabilities, but has remanded the issue of service connection for a spine disability (neck).

The Veteran's left knee condition is related to his service injury in 1959, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded two issues: an increased rating for the left leg disability and a TDIU claim. The Veteran's right knee disability is not addressed in this decision.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for left knee disorder, respiratory disorder (chronic cough), and right ankle disorder. The Veteran is required to provide additional medical records and undergo VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the issue of an earlier effective date for the right knee disability. The issues of service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities were not shown to be of such a nature or severity to have prevented him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the weight of the evidence is against a finding that the Veteran was unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee, pes planus, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinea pedis are being remanded due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, bilateral knee disorders, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was not granted as there is no credible evidence showing that any current diagnoses are related to in-service injuries or events.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, with a combined rating of 90 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, diagnosed as chondromalacia, patellofemoral joint, left knee, to include as secondary to service-connected residuals of a right foot fracture with a great toe injury. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a back disability is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating increases, finding that his conditions did not warrant higher ratings based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure that his claims are evaluated in a thorough and proper manner.

The Board found that there is no current disability for VA compensation purposes related to the Veteran's claimed urinary tract infection, and thus denied her claim. The other issues were not addressed due to the need for additional examination.

The Board found that the reduction of the rating for medial and collateral ligamentous strain, right knee from 20% to 10%, effective February 8, 2012 was proper based on improvement in instability.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current hip or knee disability, and the Veteran's claims for service connection are denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left shoulder and left knee disabilities are not related to his active service, thus denying the claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, and secondary service connection for the left foot condition have all been denied by the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities resulted in the need for hinged knee braces, which caused wear on his clothing. The Board found that all reasonable doubt should be resolved in favor of the Veteran, granting a clothing allowance for the 2014 calendar year.

The Board has remanded the claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and providing an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.