Knee Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disorder is aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, particularly those involving the right foot and lumbar spine. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee disability and bilateral hearing loss, as well as entitlement to a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination and review of his Vocational Rehabilitation file.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a right knee disability or bilateral shin splints, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied. The claim for left ankle disability remains pending.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic right knee disability during service and concluded that the Veteran's current right knee condition is not related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left knee disorder is related to his period of service, and grants service connection for this condition. However, there is no evidence of a current liver disorder or any other chronic liver condition during service or within one year post-service, and thus does not warrant service connection.

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities prior to June 16, 2009, and the Board grants TDIU effective from June 30, 2003.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance due to his service-connected right knee disability was denied as the VA Under Secretary for Health determined that the knee brace did not tend to wear or tear clothing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of her right knee disability.

The Veteran is granted service connection for obesity, secondary to her service-connected right knee disability. She is also granted a TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.,The Board found that the Veteran's obesity was caused by or aggravated by her service-connected right knee disability and that she is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities have been granted, with the right knee instability and chondromalacia rated at 20 percent effective March 27, 2015. The left knee instability and chondromalacia are also rated at 20 percent effective that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed right ankle, left ankle, and bilateral knee disorders are not related to service. The gastrointestinal disorder is also not linked to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim due to incomplete records from his VA Medical Center in Wilmington, Delaware for 1972-1973. The case is now pending again with instructions to obtain these records and consider the claim.

The Veteran's left knee arthroscopy residuals are currently rated as 10 percent disabling prior to August 31, 2013, and greater than 10 percent from that date. The highest available rating under the applicable diagnostic code is assigned.

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, with a combined rating of 40 percent. The Board grants entitlement to TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the left ankle disability was not related to service, and the knee disabilities did not warrant higher ratings.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, type II diabetes, and nephrolithiasis. However, these claims were subsequently denied on the merits.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected right and left knee disabilities and any left wrist disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, including arthritis, did not manifest during service or within one year of separation and is not related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a right knee disability is denied.