Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current nature and severity of the Veteran's left knee disability, including range of motion testing. Additionally, updated VA treatment records are requested.

The appellant's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination and additional medical records, as the previous examinations were inadequate for rating purposes. The Veteran must be provided with an adequate VA knee examination that includes range of motion testing for pain on both active and passive motion, in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent effective August 4, 2016. The Board grants this rating and also finds that the Veteran meets criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right knee disability has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his lumbar spine, cervical spine, and bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service. The right knee disorder claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a right knee disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back and left knee disabilities did not have their onset in service, were not otherwise related to service, and are not proximately due or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. As a result, the claims for service connection for these conditions were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder and right knee disorders are related to his military service.,However, there is no current disability of the right ankle. The Veteran reported symptoms but X-rays were normal.

The Veteran seeks an effective date prior to March 19, 2009, for a 20 percent rating for instability of the left knee. The Board finds that the evidence does not establish that instability was present before this date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, anemia, and coronary vasospasm. The claims for bilateral knee disability and allergic rhinitis are pending and will be addressed in the remand portion of this decision.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected osteochondritis dissecans of the left knee is being remanded due to inadequate compliance with a previous Board directive to schedule him for a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that they were not related to active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's service-connected right knee disorder aggravated any left knee disorder. The claim will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the Veteran's knee and shoulder disabilities. The claims will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 20 percent for over a decade, but the Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant an increase in rating.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination for the left knee. The TDIU claim is also being addressed.