Knee Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to new evidence added to the record without a waiver of AOJ consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including DJD of the lumbar spine, residuals of a right ankle injury, and residuals of a right knee injury, have rendered him unemployable. The Board has granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental VA opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claims.

The Veteran's left knee disability, initially diagnosed as degenerative joint disease and later as post-operative residuals of a total knee replacement, is rated at 10 percent prior to April 8, 2013, for the period from April 8, 2013 to May 31, 2014. After that date, he has been assigned a 30 percent rating effective June 1, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and increased disability ratings for his service-connected knee disabilities were denied by the Board.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is less than the schedular percentage requirements for a TDIU, and his service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left knee condition during service and denied the claim for service connection as there was not sufficient evidence to link current disability to an in-service injury.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeals for the issues of service connection for a low back disorder, left knee condition, paralysis of the sciatic nerve, and substance abuse. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to issues related to service connection for end stage renal disease, hypertension, and a chronic back disability. The claims are inextricably intertwined with the claim of service connection for hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected shrapnel fragment wounds of the left knee, arm, and chest have been evaluated as noncompensably disabling. The VA examinations did not find any evidence of underlying soft tissue loss or muscle injury.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a new examination to assess the severity of his left knee disability. The issue of entitlement to TDIU has also been added to the case.

The Board denied service connection for venereal disease, asbestos exposure residuals, bilateral eye disability (macular degeneration), right knee disability, and back disability as the evidence did not show these conditions were present during the pendency of the claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee and right ankle disabilities, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating based on current symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claim due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from May 2013 to February 2014 and ensuring all pertinent VA records are associated with the claims file.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, left knee disability, and lumbar spine disability were granted. The Veteran was also awarded a higher rating for her residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and migraine headaches.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder, right ankle, and right knee disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during or within one year after service. The VA examiners found no evidence of aggravation beyond expected progression.

The Veteran's appeal for higher initial disability ratings for left knee tendonitis and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant a higher rating based on limitation of motion or other diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's right and left knee degenerative joint diseases are rated at 10 percent each, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's GERD was initially rated as noncompensably disabling prior to May 7, 2009, and has been rated at 10 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for low back and right knee disabilities due to outstanding workmen's compensation records and private treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of dislocation of the right shoulder, medial meniscus tear and osteoarthritis of the right knee, and hypertension have been denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a rating greater than 20 percent for dislocation of the right shoulder prior to October 18, 2011, and 40 percent thereafter. For medial meniscus tear and osteoarthritis of the right knee, the Veteran's symptoms have been limited to extension functionally limited to not less than 90 degrees and extension limited to not more than 0 degrees. For hypertension, the evidence did not support a rating greater than 10 percent.