Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to outstanding records and further examination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as he is service-connected for a single disability rated at 70 percent and has a combined rating of 90 percent. The right knee disorder claim is remanded due to the need for an additional VA opinion.

The Veteran's left knee disability was rated at 20 percent prior to January 28, 2015 and increased to 30 percent from March 1, 2016 for residuals of total left knee replacement.

The Board denied an extraschedular evaluation for service-connected bilateral pes planus from April 29, 2014. The Veteran's disability picture was found to be adequately contemplated by the rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and extent of any right knee disability. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board has decided that the case needs further development and remands to obtain additional medical records, especially those from VA. The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral knee disorders is being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for readjudication.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current left knee disability, including degenerative joint disease, is at least as likely as not due to his pre-existing condition and was aggravated during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA). The opinion provided by VA medical personnel supports this finding.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA and private medical records, ensuring all notification letters are associated with the file, and readjudicating the claims.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a right knee disorder and finds that new evidence received since the May 1959 rating decision is sufficient to establish that the Veteran's preexisting right knee disorder was aggravated by service. As such, the claim is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a tender scar on the left knee is granted. The Board finds that there is sufficient evidence to establish that the Veteran has a current disability (a tender scar) and that this condition is related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that further development is needed, including obtaining new VA examinations and retrieving any outstanding medical treatment records. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus of the right ear, and service connection for a bilateral knee disability are being remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder and a right hip disorder, as new and material evidence has been received. The skin condition is not shown to be related to service, headaches are not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by service, and there is no diagnosis of a left shoulder condition.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at Multicare Orthopedics on October 8, 2012 is granted as the VA Puget Sound Health Care System staff provided authorization for the non-VA treatment and the appeal is based on a direct service connection issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and left knee disability did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The inguinal hernia was found to be noncompensably disabling.

The Board denied service connection for right hip and right knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and an extraschedular rating for his right knee disability are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports, ongoing pain, and the need for updated VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including severe osteoarthritis of the right knee and instability of the right knee, preclude him from obtaining gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience. The Board grants a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee disability has been granted, with a rating of 20 percent effective from March 23, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating was received within one year of the granting of his other claims (lumbar spine, bilateral hip and PTSD disabilities) for compensation. The earliest date as of which it is ascertainable that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment is November 14, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral knee disabilities and their impact on his daily life.