Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a 20 percent rating for right knee arthritis and limitation of extension prior to September 30, 2010. He also received an increased rating for his total right knee arthroplasty from November 1, 2011 onwards, and TDIU prior to April 9, 2013.

Throughout the entire appeal period, the Veteran's left knee laxity has been manifested by complaints of pain and no more than mild instability. The criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent have not been met.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including schizophrenia, left knee injuries, and back strain, did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to October 1, 1999.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his left knee disability. The right knee issue remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a video conference hearing. The issues of rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for asthma, service connection for a bilateral knee condition, and service connection for sleep apnea are pending.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including a right ankle condition and its secondary effects on his knees, hips, back, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The Board will review the evidence to determine if new and material evidence has been submitted and to decide whether these claims should be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals due to his inability to attend the previously scheduled hearing on October 15, 2015. The issues include service connection for right knee disability, residuals of fractured fibula (claimed as secondary), and right shoulder disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left wrist disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and increased ratings for his right knee disability and distal index finger disability. The Veteran's current disabilities were not found to be related to service or due to any other compensable basis.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability as secondary to his service-connected right knee. The low back disability is rated at 20 percent, which represents a grant of the benefit sought.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a disability rating of 70 percent, effective from May 5, 2009 to July 25, 2013. The Veteran's other claims have been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability and assigned a non-compensable rating, but denied the claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA examinations and opinions regarding his right knee condition and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of onychomycosis of the right toenail and his right knee disorder is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active military service. The appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the right ankle sprain with osteoarthritis has been denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an opinion from a VA vascular surgeon regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected right foot injury caused or aggravated his DVT of the right lower extremity, and if so, whether it is at least as likely as not that this aggravation resulted in amputation of the right leg.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain service treatment records, provide an examination and opinions regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right knee disability, and address whether his congenital defect incurred a superimposed injury during or due to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his major depression and other psychiatric disorders, have caused him to be unable to obtain and sustain a substantially gainful occupation as of September 11, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip disabilities on a secondary basis due to the Veteran's service-connected low back disability. The issue of whether the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is also related to his service-connected low back disability and/or bilateral hip disabilities is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left ankle disability, and left knee disability was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability in either ear during his period of active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.