Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder is related to his active military service, including parachute jumps during Airborne training. The left shoulder disorder and sleep apnea are remanded for additional development.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for higher ratings in the matters of scar of the right axilla, scar of the neck due to lymph node removal, and left knee scars. As a result, there are no further questions of fact or law remaining for the Board to consider.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to address his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Appellant's claims for service connection for right-knee disability, left-knee disability (secondary to right-knee), herniated disc lumbar spine (secondary to right-knee), and right-foot disability have been denied as they are not related to active duty or training.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for a left ankle disability. The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral hearing loss disabilities, tinnitus, and pleomorphic sarcoma, right upper extremity have all been denied as there is no evidence of an in-service event or injury that would support these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical evidence and a need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for the Veteran's claimed low back and bilateral knee disabilities. Service connection is not granted for a sleep disorder or headaches, as there is no current disability diagnosed. The claim of service connection for an eye disability is denied.

The Veteran's back disability is service-connected as secondary to her left knee disability.,Her right knee and right hip bursitis are both service-connected, with the right knee disability also being granted a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination. The claims will be reconsidered after the examinations are completed.

The Veteran's tension headaches, left knee disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder are found to be related to service. The ankle disorder is not currently diagnosed.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection of low back, right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle disorders. Resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, the Board finds that his current diagnoses are directly related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for migraine headaches, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and GERD, each including as due to service-connected right knee arthritis. The Veteran did not experience any current disability related to these conditions that could be attributed to active service or any incident of service.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his right knee ligament tear and total knee arthroplasty is granted, with a rating of 60% effective October 1, 2016. The Veteran previously had a temporary 100% rating due to convalescence following revision surgery.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine and left knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran with appropriate specialists to determine the current severity of his unspecified depressive disorder and bilateral tricompartmental osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's claim for additional clothing allowances is denied as the devices causing damage to his clothing are not used in conjunction with a service-connected disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his bilateral knee disorder as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability due to lack of evidence supporting a causal relationship between these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Veteran is assigned the maximum disability rating of 60 percent for his service-connected post-operative right total knee arthroplasty, but no separate ratings are warranted. For his left knee disability, he is assigned a 30 percent disability rating based on limitation of flexion. He was granted TDIU effective April 29, 2010.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at the maximum schedular rating since February 14, 2012. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on additional functional loss or other factors.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is not service-connected as it does not have a direct link to his military service.,There is no evidence of a current bilateral hand disorder, and thus the Veteran cannot establish service connection for this condition.