Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing right knee disability was aggravated by service, and therefore grants service connection for a right knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing pages in the Veteran's appeal and incomplete SSA records. The issues of service connection for various disorders remain under review.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and SSA records. A current VA audiological examination will also be scheduled to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of gout, secondary to his left knee disorder is withdrawn. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU rating due to his service-connected disabilities and nonservice-connected conditions. His combined disability rating is 80 percent, meeting the threshold for consideration of a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current PFB is a continuation of the same diagnosis noted in service, and thus grants service connection for PFB.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee and right shoulder disabilities were denied. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflected the severity of the conditions.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as she withdrew her appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's right total knee arthroplasty is currently rated at 30 percent disabling. The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for slight instability prior to September 24, 2014 and an increased 20 percent rating for moderate instability thereafter.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims file is incomplete and requires additional development, including obtaining missing records and scheduling a VA examination. The case will be remanded for these actions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability and finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether his preexisting knee injury was aggravated beyond its natural progression during service. As such, the claim is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling him for a VA examination to assess the severity of his right knee disability. The TDIU issue is also inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is at least as likely as not due to his service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and reopening of service connection claims were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not relate to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claims, or was not new and material.

The Veteran's service-connected urinary stress incontinence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as it only requires wearing absorbent materials that must be changed less than two times per day. The other service-connected conditions have been rated based on their current manifestations.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative arthritis and instability are not rated higher than the currently assigned disability ratings.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for right knee trauma but denied it on the merits. The Veteran's current right knee disability is not caused by or related to his active military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for respiratory, cervical, low back, bilateral knee, and bilateral shoulder disorders.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a right leg disorder has been withdrawn. The Board also finds that the Veteran does not have established service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD. For the period prior to April 13, 2016, the Veteran is granted a 10% rating for his left knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, effective from the date of the claim. The Veteran's hypertension is related to her service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new examination.