Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical opinions to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disorders, bilateral knee disorders, and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's persistent depressive disorder is granted as service-connected. The claims for initial compensable rating for right knee osteoma, service connection for a right knee disorder other than right knee osteoma (specifically, sleep apnea), and service connection for skin disorders, headaches, and diabetes mellitus are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an opinion on whether the left knee strain is aggravated by the right knee disability. The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee strain as secondary to his service-connected right knee condition remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee and shoulder osteoarthritis, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for his service-connected left knee disability is remanded due to the failure to reschedule a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for a right-hand disorder and a left knee disorder, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions had their onset during or are otherwise related to active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his adjustment disorder with depression and various physical conditions, prevent him from securing and maintaining gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for major depressive disorder as secondary to eczema and other service-connected disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for SMC at the housebound rate is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a single service-connected disability rated as total and additional disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and other procedural issues.

The Board denied service connection for right knee arthralgia, finding that the current condition was not incurred during or related to active duty service and is not caused by or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for right knee and right ankle disabilities, finding no evidence of a nexus between the current conditions and service. The Veteran's lay statements were deemed unreliable.

The Board denied service connection for OSA, right knee disability, and left knee disability as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's increased ratings for left and right knee Osgood-Schlatter’s with arthritis and hamstring contracture (limited extension) are being remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee patellofemoral syndrome and left knee retropatellar pain syndrome are denied. The claim for an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted service connection. The low back disability remains at a 40% rating, but the Veteran is granted a separate 10% rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy effective March 27, 2008. Right lower extremity radiculopathy continues to be rated as 20%. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and various knee and foot conditions, effectively preclude him from all forms of substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU have been met due to the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for an evaluation of his umbilical hernia, bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, retinal damage of the right eye, dry eye disability, sleep apnea, bilateral pes planus, and a cervical spine disability. The Veteran is also being remanded for further examination to determine if he has these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a right shoulder disorder and left knee disorder due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) as his combined evaluation is less than 60% and he can still engage in substantially gainful employment.