Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable disability ratings for dry eye syndrome and dermatitis have been withdrawn.,His claim for service connection for right knee degenerative joint disease has been reopened, but the issue remains remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's left foot fracture, patellofemoral pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis of the left knee, and myofascial pain syndrome and degenerative disc disease (thoracic spine) are all granted as secondary to his service-connected left foot fracture.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the functional impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 1, 2012 to February 3, 2014. The claim is now referred for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including a cardiological disability and psychiatric disability (including PTSD), lumbosacral strain, neck disability, right lower leg/calf disability, right and left thigh disability, right wrist disability, right and left shoulder disability, left and right hip disability, and left and right knee disability are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee and bilateral hip strain disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, as he is currently employed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 20, 2009 to April 9, 2019. His appeal for TDIU is granted during this period.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's right knee condition is related to his military service, given that his service records are lost. The examiner will also assess whether the pre-existing condition worsened during active duty.

The claims for service connection of right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and left knee disorder have been denied. The claim for service connection of left ankle disorder has been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions. The claim for service connection of right knee disorder has also been remanded.

The Veteran's right and left knee disabilities are rated at 10 percent each, but a separate 10 percent rating is granted for symptomatic removal of semilunar cartilage in the right knee as of March 1, 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and bilateral knee pain due to a lack of recent VA examination. The Veteran's claims are reopened, but further medical opinions are needed to determine if his current conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for her back, left ankle, right ankle, bilateral metatarsalgia, and right knee disabilities.,Specifically, the Board found that there was no evidence of a back disability during active service or within one year post-service. The left and right ankle disabilities were not shown to be worse than moderate in severity. The Veteran's bilateral metatarsalgia is rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations. And her right knee disability did not warrant an increased rating.

The Board has granted a separate 20 percent disability rating for left knee instability and denied a higher rating for limitation of flexion of the left knee. The Veteran is currently receiving a 10 percent disability rating for arthritis, left knee.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities, as well as a sinus disability, have been granted. However, the Board found that there is not sufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial rating assigned for aortic valve insufficiency is granted with an effective date of April 29, 2008. The ratings for left knee patellar tendonitis and lumbar paraspinal tendonitis with degenerative disc disease are remanded due to inadequate examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold requirements for vocational rehabilitation benefits under Chapter 31 of the VA regulations, as she is currently employed and does not have an employment handicap.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and lower back disabilities due to inadequate examinations that did not address the frequency, duration, characteristics, or overall severity of flare-ups.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since January 16, 2015.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure compliance with the prior remand directives for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, as well as his TDIU claim. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has remanded the case for further examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's knee and back disabilities, as his testimony indicated that these conditions have worsened since the last evaluations.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of increased evaluation and initial evaluation for left knee conditions. The Veteran will need to undergo a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left knee disorders.