Knee Board decisions

The Veteran requested to withdraw all issues on appeal, and the Board has dismissed the appeal due to this request.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions including a right knee disability, bilateral pes planus, bilateral anisometropia and refractive amblyopia of the left eye, status post jaw realignment surgery, tinea pedis, and varicose veins. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address these claims.,The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral pes planus. He asserts he used supports in his boots during service and that his condition was aggravated by service. A VA examination found no aggravation of the preexisting disability as there were no complaints noted in service records.,The Veteran contends his left eye condition is due to debris from service, but the June 2014 VA examiner diagnosed anisometropia refractive amblyopia OS and stated it occurred during childhood. The examiner did not address whether any disability resulted from a superimposed injury to the eye or if there was aggravation of the preexisting condition.,The Veteran asserts his jaw realignment surgery is due to heart and respiratory problems he had in service, but the VA examiner found no evidence that these conditions caused his jaw disability. The examiner also did not address whether any current jaw disability resulted from a superimposed injury or if there was aggravation of the preexisting condition.,The Veteran claims tinea pedis has worsened since the June 2014 VA examination and he has sought recent VA podiatry treatment for his condition. The Board finds that an updated VA examination is needed to assess the severity of his tinea pedis.,The Veteran asserts his varicose veins have worsened since the June 2014 VA examination, but no specific issues are noted in the virtual folder regarding this claim.

The Veteran's appeal is granted, with a TDIU being awarded. The remaining issues are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis and instability have been rated based on their current manifestations, with a separate rating for instability granted from February 16, 2007 to October 1, 2012. The Veteran is currently rated at 20 percent for right knee instability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and development of the record.

The Veteran's claim for non-service connected pension benefits was denied as he is not totally or permanently disabled due to non-service-connected disabilities and therefore is not eligible for a non service-connected pension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder strain and degenerative joint disease of the left knee are service-connected.,The Veteran reported experiencing symptoms in his left shoulder and left knee during military service, which have persisted since then.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left thigh tumor and bilateral hip degenerative joint disease, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for TDIU was also denied as there is not sufficient evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.,The Board concluded that the Veteran did not meet the schedular requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected conditions, but noted that extra-schedular consideration could be pursued under specific procedures.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and lumbar spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess current disability levels.

The Veteran's lumbosacral spinal stenosis with degenerative changes is at least as likely as not causally related to his service-connected left knee disability, and the Board finds that secondary service connection for a right knee disability is warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not preclude him from securing and following all forms of substantially gainful employment that are consistent with his education and occupational experience prior to July 26, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected right knee strain was granted, with the effective date not specified.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to unsuccessful attempts to obtain treatment records from the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility. The case is now pending for further development and potential readjudication.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are not service-connected as they pre-existed service or were not aggravated by service. The Veteran's back disability is not service-connected as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service.,Service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including severe osteoarthritis in his knees and degenerative joint disease of the spine, have rendered him unable to dress, feed himself, or perform daily activities without significant assistance. The Board finds that he meets the criteria for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance from another person.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability and left wrist disability have been granted service connection, with the effective date for the left wrist disability being February 27, 1988.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and his claims for initial ratings higher than 10 percent for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome have been dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his right knee disorder and low back disorder. The case will be returned to the Board after completion of this development.

The Board granted service connection for a right knee disability and an initial compensable rating for cervical spondylosis, but denied the claim for a right shoulder disability. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his PTSD and ischemic heart disease, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.