Knee Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral knee disorder and skin disorder (vitiligo), finding no evidence of chronic conditions during service or within one year post-service, and concluding that any current conditions are not related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability did not warrant a higher rating, and denied his claim for a temporary total rating due to surgery necessitating convalescence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back and right knee disabilities are at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage standards for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). However, given his vocational opinion and testimony indicating he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, the Board has determined that extraschedular consideration may be warranted.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including DJD and residuals of total knee replacement, has been rated as 10 percent disabling prior to February 22, 2013. Since April 1, 2014, the Veteran is entitled to a rating in excess of 30 percent for his residuals of total knee replacement.

The Board has denied reopening of the Veteran's claim for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral knee pain, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses of DJD in the left knee and meniscus tear in the right knee are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee disability, post-operative repair of ruptured tendon, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board has granted a separate rating for left knee instability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right or left foot disorder, or right or left knee disorder, that is related to his active duty service. As such, the claims for these conditions are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities did not originate in service or until years after service, are not otherwise etiologically related to service, and were not caused or aggravated by service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to determine the severity of his service-connected left knee disability and to schedule a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee disability and increased the initial rating to 30 percent. The Veteran's current left knee pain is attributed to a post-service injury during service, which resulted in chondromalacia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee and lumbar spine disabilities are aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability, warranting service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying National Guard service dates. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered after this development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his sleep disorder, bilateral foot disabilities, and right knee disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a finding of in-service injury or disease. The claim was also denied for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for intervertebral disc syndrome and related sciatic nerve radiculopathy issues.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records, conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions, and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's left knee disability, post-total knee replacement, is currently rated at 30 percent effective November 1, 2016. The Board finds that a higher rating of 60 percent is warranted from this date.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, bipolar disorder, and depression is dismissed. The Board finds that the Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding this issue during a hearing before the Board in October 2016. Service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability is denied as there is no evidence linking the current condition to service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II. The claims for depression, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral elbow and shoulder disability have been denied.