Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to provide a complete record and obtain an addendum opinion regarding the functional impairment of the Veteran's right and left knee joints throughout the period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a right knee disorder and hypothyroidism due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with prior remand directives and a need for further medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient clarification of the examiner's opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right knee disability and whether it is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left ankle disability and/or left foot drop.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional medical opinions to determine the etiology of his right hip, right leg, and skin rash conditions. The issues are related to service connection.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right knee and right heel degenerative joint disease due to unresolved medical evidence.,Service connection is not granted as there is no credible evidence linking current knee or heel conditions to military service.

The Veteran's initial rating for his service-connected Osgood-Schlatter disease of the left knee is being remanded due to procedural issues and the need for a current medical examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his knee and back conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to September 4, 2012. The Board has remanded for further development regarding the issues of higher ratings for his bilateral knee disabilities and lower extremity radiculopathies.

The Veteran's knee disabilities, specifically the left and right knees, have been granted separate ratings for limitation of flexion, extension, and lateral instability. The effective date is not specified as it was a grant of benefits.

The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity is granted as secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain. The extension of a temporary total rating for lumbar spine surgery convalescence past August 1, 2012, is denied. Service connection for erectile dysfunction and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded due to lack of medical opinions. Service connection for unspecified arthritis (distinct from service-connected lumbar spine disability) is also remanded. The Veteran's residuals of a nasal fracture, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, lumbar strain, and lumbar spine scar are all remanded.

The Veteran's left knee surgeries are related to his service-connected condition, and he is entitled to temporary total evaluations for convalescence following the June 2014 total knee replacement.

The Veteran's left knee disability, including osteoarthritis and femoral condyle fracture, is rated at 20 percent for the entire period on appeal. Separate ratings of 20 percent for limitation of extension and 10 percent for limitation of flexion are granted.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder, combined with other disabilities, has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted TDIU and SMC housebound effective August 21, 2012.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder and multiple orthopedic conditions, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that he meets the requirements for a TDIU based on his combined disability ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including unspecified depressive disorder), symptoms attributable to alcoholism, left and right knee conditions, sleep disorder, colloid cyst, and migraines. The Veteran's statements and medical records are considered in determining the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's knee disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right knee disability and post-operative right knee scar due to a lack of compliance with VA examination requirements.

The Veteran's service-connected herniated disc disease, L4-L5, with adjacent level disease at L3-L4 status post laminectomy and fusion L3-L5, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, surgical scars of the lumbar spine, bilateral knee disabilities are all remanded for further evaluation.,The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder, recurrent episode, moderate, with generalized anxiety disorder is also remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with its prior remand directives and has ordered the case to be remanded again for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot, right knee, and left knee disorders due to a lack of findings on the competency or credibility of evidence. The case is being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for further action.