Knee decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as his claim for TDIU, are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining updated VA and private medical records, conducting new examinations, and readjudicating the claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability and granted entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability. The left knee disability is pending further development.

The Veteran's initial claims for higher ratings for his right knee, left knee, and right elbow disabilities were denied. The claim for a compensable rating for his right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome prior to May 10, 2016 was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability and arthritis of the right knee are etiologically linked to his service-connected foot condition (pes planus with arthritis). As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board found that the Appellant did not have current bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues were also addressed but are remanded.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 4, 2010 for the award of a 40% rating for left knee limitation of extension. The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 40% since this date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee disability and to determine the etiology of his current obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disorder and its relationship to his service-connected bilateral ankle disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability during or proximate to the appeal period. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have an in-service injury or illness related to his knees, nor could he establish secondary service connection due to lack of service-connected primary disability.

The Veteran's right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine disorders are not service-connected. The Board found the medical evidence insufficient to establish a link between these conditions and military service.

The Veteran's left knee disabilities have been rated based on limitation of motion, but no higher ratings are warranted as the evidence does not show more than noncompensable flexion or extension.,For his right hip disability, service connection has not been established due to lack of a showing of chronicity in service and insufficient continuity of symptoms after discharge.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including an examination of the Veteran's left knee and a review of his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's right knee disorder, characterized as arthritis, is rated at 10 percent since March 1, 2003.,Service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder has been denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient examination reports and lack of compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and are not shown to be causally related to an in-service event, injury, or disease. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability is rated at 10 percent prior to April 27, 2009 and subsequent to May 31, 2009. A separate 20 percent rating for right knee cartilage, semilunar, dislocated with frequent episodes of 'locking,' pain, and effusion in the joint is granted.

The Board denied all issues regarding increased ratings for right and left knee instability and arthritis, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's service connection claims for pituitary gland disorder, headache disorders, and acquired psychiatric disorder are granted. The Veteran is also granted a temporary 100 percent rating for PTSD from July 27, 2009 to September 30, 2009, and TDIU effective April 4, 2013.

The Veteran's right knee and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded for additional examination to determine if they are related to his service-connected lumbar disc disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a new examination and medical opinions regarding his left knee disability and hypertension. The issues of service connection and increased rating are being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the TDIU issue.