Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran's cervical spine, bilateral CTS, and left knee disabilities are related to her military service. The appeal is being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's right knee retropatellar pain syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent, the minimum compensable rating. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or other factors.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 10 percent for the entire appeal period. The Board finds that he is not entitled to a higher rating as his range of motion does not warrant such an increase.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing updated VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional examinations and for the issuance of a Statement of the Case addressing service connection for a left shoulder disability and increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the Veteran's ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to her service-connected disabilities. The appeal will be remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right knee disability, and for readjudication.

The Veteran's left knee disability is not service connected, but his low back disability has been rated at the maximum allowable under VA guidelines. The TDIU claim was granted on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's right and left knee retropatellar pain syndromes are each rated at 10 percent, based on painful motion. The appeal is granted for both knees.

The Veteran's service-connected allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis have been granted with a separate 30% rating. The remaining issues, including the reopened back and right knee claims, were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee chondromalacia and skin conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and right ankle disabilities do not warrant ratings greater than 10 percent under the applicable rating criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to address the severity of his right and left knee disabilities, to include all orthopedic and neurological manifestations. The case will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left and right knee disabilities were not incurred in service or caused by his service-connected cold injury residuals, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis, status post medial meniscus tear after February 4, 2015 has been productive of painful motion but with full extension and flexion to 55 degrees. The Board determined that the appropriate rating for the entire period prior to February 2015 should have been 10 percent. However, the Board denied an increased rating for the period after February 4, 2015.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disorder and a back disorder. The case will be returned to the Louisville RO for further action.

The Veteran's abdominal scar and residuals from an accidental stab wound are rated as noncompensable, but the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for his pancreatitis, right knee condition, left knee condition, broken right ankle, broken right leg, or cervical arthritis.,There is no evidence of a current disability related to service-connected conditions that would support secondary service connection for any of these issues.

The Veteran's left knee disorder was reopened due to new evidence showing in-service injury and subsequent treatment.,Service connection for a respiratory disorder (seasonal allergic rhinitis) is granted.