Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his right knee disability, including whether the workplace incident caused by a service-connected condition can be distinguished from other nonservice-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's service treatment records, as well as private medical records. The claims will be remanded for these purposes.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection for left and right knee disabilities, finding that new evidence supports a claim of service connection. Patellofemoral subluxation of both knees was found to have started in service.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 60 percent effective July 10, 2013. He was previously rated at 30 percent prior to that date.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches, heart disability, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and skin disability are found to be secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The Veteran is granted service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there is no competent evidence linking any of the claimed conditions to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities did not pre-exist service, but were not shown to be related to active service or a service-connected disability. The claims for service connection for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's right calf and/or knee disability will be evaluated in light of all diagnoses provided during the appeal period.

The Veteran's left shoulder/scapula dysfunction is found to be related to his active military service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.,For the initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected anterior cruciate ligament repair of the left knee with arthritis, the evidence does not show that the Veteran's range of motion has been limited by limitation of extension, arthritis, ankylosis, instability, subluxation, dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent periods of effusion, removal of semilunar cartilage, or impairment of the tibia and fibula.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, is related to her active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's knee disability is not service-connected, and his initial rating for polyarthralgia/arthritis of feet and hands remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her left and right knee disabilities have been granted. The effective date is not specified as the decision was issued in January 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues, including the reopening of a claim for left ear hearing loss and rating claims for knees and ears, require additional development.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities, including posttraumatic arthritis and instability, are rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder NOS. The remaining claims are remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a back injury, fibromyalgia, COPD, and right knee disability are not related to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and adjudication of his claim for a higher rating for his right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from substantially gainful employment, and therefore the criteria for a TDIU have not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disabilities did not result from VA hospital care, treatment, or examination. The evidence does not support a finding of additional disability incurred during his stay at the Houston VAMC.