Knee decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, as well as the issue of TDIU. The AOJ is required to obtain additional evidence and provide a new examination for the knees.

The Veteran's service is not considered wartime, so he does not meet the eligibility requirements for non-service-connected disability pension.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for earlier effective dates and total evaluations. The appeal regarding a rating in excess of 10 percent for posttraumatic patellofemoral arthritis, left knee is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities need further development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to incomplete records and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for hepatitis C, low back disability, and right knee disability have been reopened. The Board finds new and material evidence has been received to support these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease and meniscus tear, but denied service connection for right knee patellofemoral syndrome, GERD, and IBS.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis due to conflicting evidence and lack of a medical opinion.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including chondromalacia patella and subluxation, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for right knee subluxation but denied an increased rating for the overall condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral great toes, bilateral ankle disability, lumbar spine disability as secondary to service-connected arterial reconstruction left lower extremity, and bilateral hip disability as secondary to service-connected arterial reconstruction left lower extremity have been denied. The right knee disability claim has not met the criteria for a rating more than 10 percent.,The Veteran's depression claim has not met the criteria for a rating more than 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, right knee disability (claimed as knee pain), left shoulder disability, ear pain, and sinus pain due to incomplete development of evidence and need for further medical examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities due to inadequate prior examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive and generalized anxiety disorder, bilateral plantar fasciitis, hypertensive heart disease, instability of the left knee, limitation of motion of the left knee, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability related to his claimed conditions, or the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes were not met.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since April 1, 2015. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether his service-connected conditions make it impossible for him to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, low back disability, and left knee disability. The claims are remanded to allow for further development including examinations.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including arthritis and meniscal issues, is rated at 10 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's left knee disability has not manifested chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness, ankylosis, limitation of extension to 30 degrees, or impairment of the tibia and fibula. The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for his left knee disability.

A rating of 30 percent for seborrheic dermatitis is granted, effective September 15, 2016. The Veteran's bilateral knee disorder and right ankle disorder are remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left hand disability, and right hand disability, require further examination to determine their etiology. The initial compensable rating claim for hypertension is also remanded.