Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and addressing the Veteran's claims for service connection for knee disorders and cervical spine disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right knee disabilities were granted, with a 20 percent rating assigned for the torn semilunar cartilage symptomatology.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with radiculopathy and spondylolisthesis is granted, but he does not meet the criteria for a separate 20 percent evaluation for left knee disability. The effective date remains pending.

The Veteran's right knee collateral ligament strain and low back strain have been evaluated based on their current functional limitations, with no additional compensable ratings granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability is the result of an injury during active service and grants entitlement to service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU as they are rated at 20% and 10%, respectively, with a combined rating of 30%. The VA examiner found that the Veteran is currently employed in trucking.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for a right ankle or right leg disability, as the evidence does not support a finding of an in-service injury or disease and no link to current conditions. The Veteran's lay statements are considered along with the VA examination findings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee, left ankle, and right thumb disorders are not related to his period of service. The preponderance of evidence is against a finding that these conditions had their onset during or within one year after his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of TBI, scarring of the head, left ear hearing loss, PTSD, right knee disability, migraine headaches, and skin disability. The Veteran did not have a scar on his head at any time during the appeal period. His migraines were rated as 10 percent disabling based on characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last several months.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to test the range of motion in both knees and an opinion on workplace limitations due to his knee disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability and associated radiculopathy of the lower extremities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability, including patellar tendonitis and ligament tears, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board finds that a higher rating in excess of 10 percent for the right knee disability is not warranted based on current evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and providing the Veteran with a more current VA examination to assess his PTSD, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The TDIU claim will also be deferred until further notice.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's initial service connection claims for left and right knee disabilities were granted with effective dates of August 21, 2012. The earlier effective date claim is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that but for any errors would have changed the outcome.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for urethral blockage, right knee disability, and left knee disability are still pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right knee disability is not related to his service, specifically ACDUTRA or a service-connected condition. The VA examiner opined it was less likely than not (less than 50% probability) that the Veteran's right knee disorder was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate VA examination reports and incomplete medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee medial meniscectomy disability.