Knee Board decisions

The Board has granted entitlement to TDIU from February 25, 2008 due to the appellant's service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates related to his cervical spine disability are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.,The Veteran's claims for service connection of low back, bilateral knee, and bilateral foot disabilities are also being remanded as VA examinations were inadequate.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left knee disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions from previous VA examinations. The Veteran is seeking higher ratings for his service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease and post-surgical status.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the right knee, left knee, and back disability issues.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a bilateral knee condition is granted as his current diagnosis of bilateral knee strain and osteoarthritis is related to his military service.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities have been rated based on their current functional limitations, with the highest rating granted for limitation of extension in the right knee from September 6, 2017 to January 30, 2018. Other conditions were also addressed individually.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been rated as noncompensable, and the Board finds no legal basis for a higher rating.,The Veteran's service-connected hypertension and ED are not service connected. The RO is instructed to obtain medical opinions addressing whether these conditions were incurred in service or caused by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and ratings have been withdrawn. The Board has granted a TDIU from April 25, 2013, based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including knee and shoulder conditions, as well as a lumbar spine disability. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

A separate rating of 10 percent for a right knee meniscal tear with limitation of flexion is granted beginning July 25, 2013. A separate rating of 10 percent for a right knee meniscal tear with instability is granted prior to February 29, 2016.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and left knee/leg disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to his active military service or service-connected conditions.,The Board also found that the Veteran's current right shoulder degenerative joint disease is not directly related to his service, nor is it proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder condition.

The Veteran's GERD is rated 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's left knee strain with instability and shin splints, left knee strain with limitation of flexion, right knee strain with instability and shin splints, and right knee strain with limitation of flexion are all rated 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that additional evidence is needed to determine if these conditions warrant higher ratings.,The Veteran's left ankle sprain and right ankle sprain are both rated 10 percent disabling. Additional evidence is needed to determine if these conditions warrant higher ratings.,The Veteran's low back strain with degenerative arthritis is rated 20 percent disabling, but the Board finds that additional evidence is needed to determine if this rating is appropriate.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy and right lower extremity radiculopathy are both rated 10 percent disabling. Additional evidence is needed to determine if these ratings are appropriate.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left shoulder condition, low back condition, bilateral knee conditions, bilateral plantar fasciitis, sinusitis, cervical spine degenerative joint disease, erectile dysfunction, right ankle condition, and sleep apnea and associated sleeping disorder. The appeals are not about service connection at all.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine and right knee conditions due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records, including VA and private records, and an examination is required to determine if her conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, as determined by the VA examiners.

The Veteran's bilateral knee and back braces, prescribed for service-connected disabilities, tend to wear out or tear his clothing. The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for a clothing allowance in calendar year 2016 for both the bilateral knee brace and the back brace.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including acute intermittent porphyria with iron deficiency anemia, somatization disorder, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left knee instability, and right knee chondromalacia patella, rated at a combined 70 percent prior to December 18, 2015, did not render him unemployable for substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's right knee condition and its impact on his ability to work. The issues of increased rating for right knee osteoarthritis and TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his depressive disorder with anxious distress was granted, and he is now receiving a 70 percent disability rating. Additionally, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate and requires further development to determine if the Veteran's knee disabilities are related to his military service.