Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities are not related to service or a service-connected disability.,However, the Veteran's low back disorder is considered incidental and as likely as not related to advancing age rather than his in-service injuries.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his knee disabilities have been denied. The Board finds that the current assigned disability ratings adequately reflect the severity of the Veteran's left and right knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the Veteran refusing further VA examinations, and additional medical opinions are needed to determine the etiology of his left knee disorder and type II diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability is proximately due to or a result of his service-connected right knee disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome has resulted in symptoms such as painful motion, but not to a degree warranting an increased rating prior to February 18, 2011. Since then, the condition has resulted in some functional impairment, but not enough for a higher rating.

The Board finds that the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for his claimed bilateral hip and knee disorders as there is no medical evidence establishing a nexus between these conditions and his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's left knee disabilities were granted a combined initial rating of 10 percent for the period from September 5, 2003 to March 5, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, has been reopened and granted. The Veteran is now entitled to an increased rating of 30 percent for his left knee disability with instability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the current knee disabilities are related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current back disability was not incurred in service and is not related to any event in service. The claim for service connection for a back disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and providing the Veteran with a copy of an undelivered SSOC. The claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination. The Veteran's appeal is currently pending and will be reconsidered after the necessary evidence is obtained.

The Veteran's low back disability, DJD of the right knee, and residuals of dislocation of patella of the right knee are all rated at their maximum allowable levels. The Veteran is granted restoration of a 20 percent rating for his low back disability and TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an addendum VA opinion addressing the impact of his service-connected PTSD on his employability.

The Board denied the Veteran's increased rating claims for his service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease and right total knee replacement.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability, including bilateral femoral patellar arthrosis and left knee medial and retropatellar gonarthritis, is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his period of service, including based on recurrent symptoms first noted in service. The Veteran also meets the criteria for a rating of 60 percent for residuals of right and left knee replacements.,The Veteran experiences chronic residuals of bilateral knee replacements consisting of severe painful motion or weakness.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, and alcohol abuse claimed as psychosis prior to April 25, 2017 was denied. The effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is October 11, 2011.