Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the evaluations for his right knee injuries, and as a result, the cases are dismissed.

The Board has granted a 20% rating for the Veteran's right ankle disability, effective October 20, 2014. The claim for service connection of the right knee disability is remanded.

The Veteran's left knee disability was evaluated as 10 percent disabling prior to June 9, 2012. From June 9, 2012 to June 12, 2017, the Veteran was granted a 20 percent evaluation for early arthritis and instability of the left knee. After June 13, 2017, no higher rating is warranted.

For the rating period prior to April 10, 2017, the Veteran's right knee DJD disability was productive of painful limitation of motion in flexion.,For the rating period beginning April 10, 2017, no compensable rating is warranted for the Veteran's right knee DJD.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn. The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the withdrawal of all issues.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to decide the claim, including medical records and possibly private treatment records. The Veteran's left knee disability will be reviewed again by a suitable clinician.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the bilateral knees, hips, and shoulders is being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions. The claims file will be returned to the VA examiner who provided the September 2014 opinion for additional assessments and opinions.

The Veteran's right knee disorder is not related to service and the claim for service connection has been denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability, previously rated as chondromalacia with internal derangement, was upgraded to a maximum of 60 percent rating since January 1, 2016 following total left knee replacement.,Prior to March 15, 2016, the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, also previously rated as chondromalacia, was upgraded to a minimum of 30 percent rating since January 1, 2018 following total right knee replacement.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and private medical records. The appellant's status as a Veteran and his claims for service connection will be reconsidered.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim to reopen her service connection for scoliosis and also denied her request for an increased rating for her bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability is related to his in-service injury resulting in a right patella fracture, and thus service connection for this condition is granted. The preponderance of evidence does not support service connection for left shoulder or gastritis disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations and a total disability rating were denied. The Board found that the effective date for service connection of degenerative changes to both knees with fibromyalgia should be March 26, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service records and VA treatment records, as well as scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to address his claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral knee disabilities and lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and spondylosis, Osgood-Schlatter's disease and osteoarthritis, left knee, and incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded to obtain additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent for degenerative changes of the right and left knees.

The Veteran's lumbar and left knee degenerative joint diseases were not found to warrant higher initial ratings, with the exception of a 20% rating for lumbar degenerative joint disease from October 28, 2009 through March 26, 2012.