Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational background from December 17, 2015.

The Board has remanded the claims for a back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to assess his current symptomatology and associated functional loss or impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional records and examination. The issues of service connection for back disability and right knee disability are still pending.

The Board has remanded the case for clarification of service connection and re-adjudication.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder condition is not related to his service-connected recurrent pilonidal cyst, and thus does not meet the criteria for secondary service connection. The other issues have also been denied.

The Veteran's service connection for left ear hearing loss, right knee instability (meniscal tear), and post-operative left knee with arthritis has been granted. The Veteran is assigned a noncompensable disability rating for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain service department records and other pertinent medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to issues related to service connection for bilateral knee degenerative joint disease. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with a focus on determining whether his current condition is related to service, specifically addressing any preexisting conditions and their potential impact.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of a back injury and granted service connection. The Veteran also has been granted service connection for depression and bilateral knee arthritis.,Service connection is granted for lumbar disc disease, depressive disorder, and bilateral knee arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a more current examination of her service-connected bilateral knee and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as consideration of functional loss during flare-ups.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and development due to the significant worsening of his service-connected right hip, right knee, cervical spine disabilities, and bilateral hearing loss since the last VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability and finds that it is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right ankle disability. The Veteran's seizure disorder is also found to be at least as likely as not secondary to his service-connected migraine headaches.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and low back disorders as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his right knee disorder and meniscus tear do not warrant a higher rating, with the exception of the current 30 percent rating for instability.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability did not manifest during service or for many years thereafter, and is not otherwise causally related to service. Therefore, the claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disability was denied.

The Board granted service connection for chronic residuals of a head injury, effective August 17, 2006. The Veteran is also entitled to SMC based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee DJD and instability have been rated at 10% since May 20, 2014. The rating for the arthritis remains unchanged, but a separate 10% rating has been granted for instability.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and left hip disorders, as there is no in-service event or injury to attribute these current disorders.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inadequate examination reports and opinions.

The Board found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability did not warrant a rating in excess of 40 percent, and denied entitlement to TDIU as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.