Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination to assess the current nature and severity of his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues on appeal, including the requests for higher ratings for PTSD with alcohol abuse in remission, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and degenerative enthesitis of the left knee.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Board hearing via videoconference. The issues on appeal include ratings for knee conditions and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left foot neuritis, as there was no current diagnosis or evidence linking these conditions to her military service. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for migraine headaches was partially granted with a 30% disability evaluation.

The Board has reopened the service connection claims for right shoulder and bilateral knee disabilities, as new evidence supports a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's application for an earlier effective date for the payment of a clothing allowance was granted, as it was filed within one year of the anniversary date for which entitlement was initially established.

The Board denied service connection for a right leg disability, to include arthritis of the knee and ankle, as it was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim is remanded due to the need for additional development regarding other issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a left knee disability and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for TBI with residual headaches. The earlier effective date claim was also denied as there were no prior communications from the Veteran regarding this issue.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records and a need for additional medical opinions. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 30 percent from October 1, 2011 to April 29, 2012. The Board found that the condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion and denied a separate rating for instability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, seeking addendum opinions from the July 2015 VA examiner regarding the nature and etiology of his right shoulder disorder, bilateral knee disorders, bilateral foot disorders, heart disorder, and bilateral venous insufficiency, and addressing the Veteran's complaints of sciatica in the lower extremities.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a video-conference hearing at the RO. The issues of service connection for knee disabilities and eczema, as well as an increased rating for hypertension, are now pending before the Board.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left knee arthritis with limitation of flexion and residuals of a total knee arthroplasty, as well as his claim for TDIU on a schedular basis prior to March 1, 2014, were denied by the Board.

The Board has granted a rating of 10 percent for the Veteran's degenerative spurring of the right knee, effective October 1, 2004. Additionally, the Board has granted a separate 10 percent evaluation for right knee subluxation.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left knee retropatellar pain syndrome has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's right and left knee disorders are not currently considered to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the failure of his VA Form 9 hearing request, and he has requested a rescheduled hearing. The case will be returned to the AOJ for this purpose.

The Veteran's low back disability was granted service connection. The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since December 16, 2004 and in excess of 70 percent from August 22, 2006 through September 15, 2014.

The Veteran's left and right knee disabilities are currently rated at 10 percent each, with no higher ratings warranted based on the evidence of record.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened for service connection due to new and material evidence.

The Board is remanding the case for a new VA examination to consider all of the Veteran's in-service injuries and his lay statements, including those from the February 2016 hearing testimony. The examiner should provide an opinion as to whether it is at least as likely as not that any current right or left knee disorder, including degenerative arthritis, is etiologically related to the Veteran's active service.