Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates due to new evidence suggesting a material worsening of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities since her last VA examinations in October 2017. The claims are now pending with the appropriate VA examination.

The Veteran's earlier effective dates of July 31, 1983 for the grant of service connection for various conditions have been granted.,Remaining issues related to initial evaluations and service connection are remanded.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 30 percent since May 1, 2015. The rating is based on chronic residuals of a prosthetic replacement of the knee joint consisting of severe painful motion or weakness in the affected knee.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection of left and right knee disabilities need further development due to the Veteran's inability to attend a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for PTSD and left knee bursitis, service connection for right knee condition, and TDIU due to additional evidence being added to the record. The Veteran's allegations of unemployability are also part of this appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability is being remanded for a new examination to assess its current severity.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorders and hearing loss should be reviewed again due to procedural issues, but has not yet determined a new rating or effective date.

The Veteran's right knee disability, with moderate osteoarthritis, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the cases of left ankle pain, bilateral knee disabilities, and bilateral hearing loss for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for extra-schedular ratings and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the assigned schedular criteria adequately described his disability picture, with no interference with employment or frequent hospitalization.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history, leading the Board to grant a TDIU as of April 8, 2016.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased evaluations for various service-connected disabilities, including degenerative joint disease and irritable colon syndrome. The Veteran's claims are not currently granted as there is no evidence of ankylosis or other conditions that would warrant higher ratings.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection of dysthymia was granted. The right knee disorder secondary to service-connected dorsolumbar myositis and the acquired psychiatric disorder were both denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development and medical opinions.,VA burial benefits based on a nonservice-connected death are granted, but the issue of whether higher benefits based on a service-connected death should be awarded is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right leg amputation above the knee as secondary to his service-connected idiopathic thrombocytopenia with splenectomy.

The Board has remanded the issues of rating DDD of the lumbar spine, left and right lower radiculopathy, left patellofemoral syndrome (knee condition), right patellofemoral syndrome status post ACL reconstruction using hamstring autograft and lysis and resection of adhesions without manipulation, and pitted keratolysis for further development. The issues on appeal are related to the merits of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood (equipoise) that these conditions are related to his in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and his service-connected left knee disability. The claim for service connection of the cervical spine disorder is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and hip disabilities due to inadequate examination in March 2013. The case is now pending with a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and effective dates due to inconsistencies in medical evidence regarding instability of the Veteran's knees.