Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for MRSA is denied, and his TDIU claim on an extraschedular basis is granted.

The Veteran's COPD is not service-connected, as it is neither causally nor etiologically related to her active service or secondary to her service-connected sinusitis.,The Veteran's right knee instability has been rated at 10 percent since August 2010. The examiner noted that the Veteran had a history of smoking and was currently in need of aid and attendance, which is not considered for rating purposes under Diagnostic Code 5261.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the reduction of his cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disabilities to noncompensable ratings was denied. The Board found that the procedural safeguards were met and that there was no evidence of an improvement in the disability.

The Board has remanded the service connection matters for additional development based upon the Veteran's Southwest Asia Theater of Operations (SWATO) service. The Veteran is seeking to establish service connection for his hip, knee, and ankle disabilities as due to an undiagnosed illness or fibromyalgia.

The Board has determined that arthritis in both the right and left knees originated during active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee disability, including arthritis, was not manifest in service or to a degree of 10 percent within one year of separation; is unrelated to service; and was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection for right knee disability is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his degenerative arthritis of the left knee was denied by the Board. The case is now remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the condition and determine any functional loss due to pain or other factors.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, have rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since May 1, 2007.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been withdrawn. The remaining issues are remanded for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further VA examinations and to obtain updated treatment records. The issues include increased disability ratings for various service-connected joint disabilities, as well as a claim for individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right or left knee disability, and there is no evidence of an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and PTSD) related to service. The preponderance of the evidence fails to establish any such relationship.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his hearing loss and bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to allegations of clear and unmistakable error regarding effective dates for prior grants of service connection and current ratings for his disabilities. The issue of a TDIU prior to June 27, 2013 remains in appellate status.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA examination, and retrieving the necessary authorization from the Veteran for the release of Dr. R.K.'s medical records.

The Veteran's right knee instability is granted a 20% evaluation from July 8, 2010 through June 20, 2012.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of the Veteran's claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is related to his military service and grants his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability. The Board also found that the criteria for service connection are met, granting the Veteran's claim.