Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and bilateral knee arthritis are preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, as per his statements and VA examination reports. The Board has remanded the case for further consideration of an extra-schedular TDIU award.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee condition, including a right knee meniscal tear and degenerative arthritis, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his in-service injury.

The Veteran's right knee disorder resulted in flexion limited to 85 degrees and no other issues. The RO denied an increased rating for the condition, as it did not meet the schedular criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient VA opinions and incomplete records. The Veteran is asked to provide information regarding her service treatment records, civilian hospital visits in Germany, and a lightning strike during service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and evidence related to a Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) claim. The right ankle arthritis evaluation and TDIU claims are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine, left knee instability, and degenerative joint disease of the left knee are being remanded due to the receipt of additional evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities are currently rated at 20 percent each, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as there is no evidence of ankylosis, instability, or other disabling conditions in either knee.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for right knee retropatellar pain syndrome and hiatal hernia (GERD) due to inadequate development of evidence.

The Veteran's TBI and PTSD have been granted service connection.,An increased rating of 70 percent for PTSD has been granted, effective from the date of this decision.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate examination report.,Service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, and respiratory condition are remanded as no VA examination was provided.,Bruxism secondary to TBI is also remanded.,Right shoulder disability and low back disability ratings are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities, as well as a back disability, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied, with the exception of a grant of an initial 10 percent rating for limitation of adduction due to myositis ossificans of the right hip.,The remaining claims for increased ratings were all denied.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a left total knee replacement are granted with a 60 percent rating effective October 1, 2015. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for right knee instability and osteoarthritis (manifested by limitation of extension) are remanded.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis disability was granted a 20 percent rating from October 21, 2011 to December 27, 2012. The Board found that the condition met the criteria for dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of joint pain and without ankylosis, flexion limited to 15 degrees or less, extension limited to 20 degrees or more, or nonunion or malunion of the tibia and fibula.

The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral syndrome is granted an increased rating to 20 percent, effective January 17, 2017.,Left knee instability is granted a 10 percent rating, also effective January 17, 2017.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for her service-connected right knee flexion, instability, and left knee PFS were denied. The current ratings of 10 percent are found to be appropriate based on the evidence.

The Veteran's right great toe disability is rated at a 20 percent rating, effective from the date of the decision. The Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease (DDJ) was granted an initial 10 percent rating and later increased to 30 percent starting August 1, 2015.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disability and a left knee disability, finding no evidence of an in-service injury or chronic condition.,Service connection was not granted as there is insufficient evidence to link the current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities have been dismissed as they were granted in prior rating decisions.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for allergic rhinitis and urticaria, and a compensable rating for the residual surgical scar of the left wrist, status post left dorsal ganglion cyst excision, are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for hearing loss, residuals of a breast reduction, urticaria (urticaria), right knee disability, hemorrhoids, and acrophobia. The claim for service connection for hearing loss was denied.