Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to unclear employment status and the need for a VA examination to assess his ability to secure or follow gainful employment.

The Board has determined that a more contemporaneous examination is needed for the Veteran's right ankle disability, and a VA examination is required to determine if her right knee disability is secondary to her service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities were initially rated as 10% prior to July 26, 2015. Since then, the right knee disability has warranted a separate 10% rating on or after that date.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations and guidelines.,There is no effective date earlier than January 26, 2011, for the grant of service connection for bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a right knee disability. The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining STRs and scheduling the Veteran for an orthopedic examination to determine if his current right knee disability is related to his reported in-service injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and vertigo. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability is pending due to the need for further VA examination.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with PTSD due to military sexual trauma, bipolar disorder, and currently experiences symptoms of these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee, hip, and low back disorders were not incurred or aggravated by service or service-connected conditions. The evidence did not establish a direct connection to service.

The Veteran's claim for a right knee disorder is denied as there is no current disability and the evidence does not show one proximate to or during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance or housebound.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is not related to his military service or his service-connected left knee disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to an annual clothing allowance due to his use of a right-knee brace and back brace for service-connected disabilities, as well as skin medication applied on his torso. The decision resolves all doubts in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for various disabilities, including a right elbow disability, back disability, hand disorder, hearing loss, headaches, swollen glands, female problems and menstrual disorders, abdominal pain (residuals of hysterectomy), hypertension, left arm pain, right arm pain, left wrist pain, right hand pain, left knee pain, right knee pain, and bilateral foot disorder. The claims are being remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disabilities did not have their onset during service and are not otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a lack of an in-person examination and for obtaining an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and reviewing additional evidence added to the file since the last supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection, rating higher than 10 percent for residuals of a fracture of the 4th toe of the left foot with Morton's neuroma, and nonservice-connected pension due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's left knee Osgood-Schlatter disease and early age-related arthritis have been rated at 10 percent since July 26, 2008. The disability has not resulted in any additional functional loss or limitation of range of motion beyond what is already accounted for by the current rating.

The Veteran's left knee and right shoulder disabilities have been evaluated based on their direct service connection, but the evidence does not support an extraschedular evaluation for either condition.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his left knee disabilities was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent under DCs 5260 and 5261, or a separate compensable rating under DC 5261.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated as 10 percent disabling prior to October 24, 2013, and as 40 percent thereafter. The right knee disability was also rated as 10 percent disabling prior to October 24, 2013, and as 40 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's left knee instability was granted a separate rating of 10 percent after October 24, 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Board has granted separate ratings for limitation of flexion and extension, as well as recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.