Knee decisions — 2009

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional service records, particularly from his period of Naval Reserve service. The Board will attempt to obtain these records and take any further appropriate actions before returning the case.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his death. The appellant-widow is seeking service connection for the cause of her husband's death, which was attributed to COPD.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee disorders are service-connected, with all reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of evidence from the early 60s and insufficient notification regarding the bases for the previous denial.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's use of knee braces for his service-connected bilateral knee disability causes irreparable damage to his outer garments, warranting an annual clothing allowance for 2008.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for further consideration by the Director of Compensation and Pension Service due to his unemployability caused by service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and a VA examination to determine if the left knee disorder is related to service-connected cervical and lumbar spine conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not causally related to an injury sustained during service in Vietnam, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's case is being remanded due to his request for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further examination.

The Veteran's claimed arthritis was not incurred or aggravated by active military service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was resolved as his claim was granted in full. The appeals for back disability and left knee disorder were dismissed due to the absence of a timely substantive appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to afford him a personal hearing before the Board.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder sprain, back condition, and left knee condition due to new evidence. However, it denied service connection for a right hip condition as not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied service connection for generalized anxiety disorder secondary to service-connected right knee trauma with degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and left hip disabilities, as well as his claims under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for ulcers and internal bleeding and anemia, were denied due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's left knee disability is service-connected, and he is currently rated at 20% for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. The PTSD claim was denied as there is no evidence it is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, and a chronic sinus disorder have been denied as there is no competent medical evidence or opinion establishing a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and adjudicating any outstanding claims. The veteran's service-connected disabilities are being considered to determine if they render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.