Knee Board decisions

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, a skin disability, a left knee disability, stable angina, prostate disability, heart disability other than stable angina (includes cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, and hypertensive heart disease), hypertension, and right knee disability. The Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents is established based on his service in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in a previous VA examination and because the Veteran may have received treatment from an employee at Snell Prosthetic and Orthotic Laboratory. The case is now being returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and his Vocational Rehabilitation folder. The claims for increased rating and TDIU will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's combined disability rating has been consistently at 80 percent since March 9, 2006. The Board finds that the criteria for a higher rating have not been met.

The Board has dismissed the issues of service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities due to a full grant of benefits sought on appeal with respect to those issues.,Service connection was granted for bilateral knee disability, but the Veteran's current bilateral foot disability is not supported by evidence showing it is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee, hip, foot, and sleep apnea disabilities are not service-connected as they were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities have been rated based on the criteria for limitation of motion. A rating in excess of 10 percent is granted for limitation of extension of both knees from January 13, 2012 to October 21, 2016.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed right knee and bilateral shoulder disabilities are not service-connected as they are considered to be separate from his already service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations, incomplete treatment records, and other procedural issues.

The VA determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is not related to his service or service-connected left total knee replacement, and therefore denied the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral patellofemoral syndrome, bilateral knee strain, and left knee degenerative arthritis are etiologically related to his period of active service and to his service-connected bilateral shin splints. As such, the criteria for service connection have been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disorder did not have its onset during service, was not directly caused by service, and did not manifest within one year of separation from service. As a result, the claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further action. The issues related to his right shoulder, knee, and hypertension are being addressed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including rescheduling of VA examinations and obtaining private treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee condition was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection. The skin condition issue is pending as there is no evidence of a current chronic skin condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability is not related to service and is not secondary to a service-connected condition. The Veteran's right shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities have been rated based on their current severity.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with a previous remand directive. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted. For the period prior to July 22, 2009, he was awarded a 10 percent rating for Paget's disease of the left knee with limitation of motion. From July 22, 2009 to August 9, 2013, his instability associated with Paget's disease of the left knee warranted a 40 percent rating. Since October 1, 2014, he has been rated at 60 percent for total knee replacement.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Board video conference hearing and further development.