Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability alone rendered him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's knee disabilities have been evaluated as chondromalacia, and the Board has determined that a rating in excess of 10 percent is not warranted for either knee.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to locate service treatment records and obtain medical opinions regarding the appellant's right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for Multiple Sclerosis, Anemia, Bilateral Knee Disability, and Right Hip Disability. The Veteran did not have these conditions during her active duty or within the presumptive period.,There is no evidence of chronicity in service, and there are no objective indications of current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee DJD and residuals of left knee injury post-operative medial meniscectomy were rated at 10 percent from October 30, 2008 through June 22, 2014.

The Veteran's lower back and right knee disabilities are service-connected as direct service connection. The Board finds that the Veteran's left knee disability is proximately due to his service-connected healed left fibular fracture.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability did not manifest in service or within one year following separation from service, and is not otherwise etiologically related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is proximately due to or aggravated by her service-connected left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings in excess of 20 percent for left knee removal of semilunar cartilage prior to October 30, 2014 and in excess of 60 percent for a left total knee arthroplasty since January 1, 2016 on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work experience.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current disabilities of the bilateral knees are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a nexus between his in-service knee pain and any diagnosed disability. The claim for hypertension remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for a new medical examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability, including whether it is related to his military service.

The Veteran's right retropatellar pain syndrome with degenerative joint disease and right knee instability are currently rated at 10 percent each, reflecting the severity of her symptoms as described in the medical records.

The Veteran's right knee disability was found to have worsened, but the current ratings for his functional impairment prior to December 5, 2013 and from that date forward do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran seeks service connection for right knee and back disabilities, which he contends are related to his service-connected left knee disability. The Board has determined that a new examination is needed as the current opinion provided by the VA examiner does not address direct service connection or whether the conditions were aggravated by his service-connected left knee condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (IDT), as well as to obtain VA treatment records. The Veteran will be provided a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral knee disability, including whether it was caused by or aggravated during military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including gastroesophageal disability, tension headache disability, osteoarthritis of the thoracic and lumbar spine, bilateral plantar fasciitis with degenerative changes at the first metatarsophalangeal joint, cervical strain with degenerative joint and disc disease, left knee orthopedic disability, left elbow nerve disability, and tinnitus, meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU. The Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with substance abuse disorders is found to be related to his service, and the claim for this condition is granted. The issues of neck disorder and bilateral knee disorder are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grants of service connection for chondromalacia patella of the right knee and left knee should be November 13, 1992.