Knee Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew her appeal in a March 2017 statement, which included her name and case number.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis of the left knee, is related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to difficulties in locating the Veteran and scheduling a hearing. The Veteran's current address must be verified, and he is reminded of his duty to keep VA informed of any changes in his address.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease is caused by his service-connected left knee disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a medical nexus between the Veteran's current left knee disorder and his military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a bilateral knee condition that he asserts began in service and has continued since. The case is REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development, including obtaining deck logs from USS Magoffin and USS Pickaway, scheduling a VA examination, and considering all submitted evidence.

The Veteran's request for service connection for patellofemoral syndrome, left knee is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for lower back pain with arthritis, to include as secondary to service-connected right total knee replacement; postoperative excision, osteochondroma, right femur; residuals gunshot wound right thigh, MG XIII-XIV; and scars residual gunshot wound right thigh.

The Veteran's May 2010 revision of a right total knee replacement was treatment for his service-connected right knee disability and required convalescence of at least one month, qualifying him for a temporary total rating.

The Board found no evidence of a right or left knee disorder during service, and the Veteran's current knee disorders are not related to his military service.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss was granted but with a non-compensable disability rating.

The Veteran's hepatitis C was diagnosed during service and is presumed to have been incurred therein. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection.,The Veteran has a combined disability rating of 80% due to his service-connected disabilities, which qualifies him for TDIU consideration. After review of his employment history and current functional limitations, the Board finds that he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition, an initial rating higher than 10 percent for right knee degenerative arthritis, and an initial rating higher than 10 percent for left knee degenerative arthritis and internal derangement. The claim for a separate rating for left knee instability prior to January 4, 2016 was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him incapable of obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for a Travel Board hearing at the RO in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of entitlement to a separate rating for recurrent subluxation or instability of the right knee and entitlement to TDIU are intertwined.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his left knee medial meniscal tear and right knee DJD were granted, but the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted. The Veteran received a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability prior to August 18, 2011.

The evidence does not show that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from June 25, 2010 to December 8, 2013.

The Veteran's left knee disability was evaluated at a 10 percent rating, based on painful motion. The evidence did not show limitation of motion to the extent that would warrant a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status.