Knee decisions — 2008

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining updated medical records.

The veteran is seeking service connection for knee, hip, and back disabilities that she claims are secondary to her service-connected left foot disability. The case is being remanded for further examination and medical opinion.

The veteran's claimed disabilities, including rheumatoid arthritis and orthopedic conditions affecting the left knee and right foot, colon polyps, Peyronie's disease, kidney stones, inguinal hernias, and cataracts, were not found to be related to his service or exposure to herbicides during his Vietnam-era service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development of the record, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service for the right shoulder or knee disorders, and thus denied both claims.

The veteran's left knee is rated at 30 percent, and her degenerative disc disease at L3-L4 and S1 is rated as noncompensable. The evaluations for pes planus of the right foot and left foot are also noncompensable.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right hip and right knee conditions due to incomplete information provided by the veteran regarding his in-service injury. The case must be readjudicated after obtaining additional evidence, including personnel records from U.S. Army and JSRRC.

The veteran's left and right knees are both rated at the highest possible evaluation for degenerative joint disease, with no less than full extension and flexion.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease was initially evaluated as noncompensable prior to November 25, 2005. As of that date, it is not shown to meet criteria warranting a higher rating.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and providing him with a VA examination to assess the severity of his knee and foot disabilities.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right and left knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral knee and low back disabilities are related to his active military service as a paratrooper, and thus grants the claims for service connection.

Service connection is granted for the veteran's left hip disability due to its relationship with his service-connected lumbar spine disability.,The veteran's left knee disorder warrants a 10 percent rating based on complaints of pain and instability, but no additional limitation in range of motion or extension.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral blurry vision with a right eye cataract, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hip disability were denied. The Board found that the current disabilities are not related to service.

The veteran's current conditions, including hypertension, brain seizures, cystitis, multiple joint pains, knee disorder and hemorrhage seizure, are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral pes planus, a bilateral knee condition secondary to pes planus, and entitlement to TDIU due to lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The Board denied service connection for a right ankle disorder, a right knee disorder, and a low back disorder as secondary to the veteran's service-connected left ankle Achilles tendonitis.,The evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities in any of these conditions.

The Board has ordered additional development of the veteran's claims, including obtaining his service medical records and verifying his periods of active duty for training and inactive duty training. The veteran is also requested to provide clarification regarding what private medical records he desires VA to obtain or consider.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and skin cancer, finding that COPD was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service and that skin cancer is not related to service. The claim for hearing loss of the right ear remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's knee and lumbosacral strain conditions are appropriately rated, and no increased ratings are warranted.