Knee Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnoses of knee strain, meniscal tear, and joint osteoarthritis are not related to his active military service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed left knee, right knee, and left leg disabilities are not related to his military service.,VA medical opinions have consistently concluded that these conditions did not begin during or as a result of his active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 7, 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee degenerative joint disease. The examiner must conduct full range of motion studies, including active and passive motion in both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing positions.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for his service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome was denied. He is also seeking a higher rating, but the Board found no evidence to support this in the current appeal period.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability, arthritis, and hypertension. The evidence now shows continuity of symptoms since service.,With respect to the claim for hypertension, the Board finds that it is at least as likely as not related to service-connected sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine, right knee limited motion, right knee instability, right knee scar, and right hip, precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 19, 2011. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise with respect to whether he was unemployable due to these disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities warrant a rating of 10 percent each prior to November 25, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing was denied as he does not meet the legal criteria for eligibility due to his service-connected disabilities, which do not include a permanent and total disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional medical opinions and development of the record.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have prevented him from maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including arthritis and post-meniscectomy and ACL injury, has been rated at 20 percent for limitation of extension. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for instability. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability is etiologically related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals regarding the initial ratings for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, as well as her requests to establish service connection for right and left ankle disabilities. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee osteochondritis desiccans, status post right tibial osteotomy, arthroscopic surgery with debridement and Carticel transplant was denied. The RO continued the prior 10 percent rating from March 1, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's right knee disability is aggravated by his service-connected back disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability is etiologically related to his in-service injuries, thus granting service connection for a right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment, thus meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's left knee, back, and neck disabilities were not shown to be related to his service-connected foot disability or incurred during service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Board has denied initial evaluations in excess of 20 percent for instability of the right and left knees as of March 1, 2013, based on service-connected medial meniscectomy with osteoarthritis.