Knee decisions — 2009

The appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development, including scheduling an orthopedic examination.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder was remanded to the Appeals Management Center (AMC) for further development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records.

The Board found that the veteran's current right knee and back conditions were not related to his military service or proximately due to or permanently aggravated by his service-connected left knee arthritis.

The veteran was granted service connection for a right knee disorder and the disability rating for PTSD was increased to 50 percent effective July 11, 2008.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability was denied as the medical evidence did not show a nexus between the current disability and his in-service injury without resorting to speculation.

The veteran's claim for service connection for gastritis was denied, while the ratings for his left knee conditions were adjusted based on medical findings.

The veteran's PTSD is manifested by depression, chronic sleep impairment, isolation, avoidance, anhedonia, disturbances of mood and motivation, panic attacks, mild memory loss and persistent hallucinations. The competent medical evidence does not indicate a nexus between the veteran's right knee disability and his military service or that he has a left knee disability.

The Board found that the initial award of service connection for status post left total knee replacement and left knee scar was clearly and unmistakably erroneous, thus severing service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee and leg disorder as there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's active duty service.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral knee disorder was not caused or made permanently worse by her military service.

The Board denied the claim of clear and unmistakable error in an April 1990 rating decision that did not address service connection for knee disability or pes planus.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for multiple level disc herniation and arthritic changes to the spine, and degenerative joint disease of the knees, as an opinion is needed regarding the cause or aggravation of these conditions during National Guard training.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder, a left hip disorder, and pancreatitis as the evidence did not support an association between these conditions and active duty.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his active duty service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, a bilateral shoulder disorder, a neck disorder, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome based on the evidence showing that these conditions are related to military service.

The appeal is remanded for further development of the evidence, including efforts to reconstruct lost service records and obtain additional private medical records.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various bilateral foot, ankle, hip, knee, and low back disorders are being remanded for further development.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection claims related to bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, essential hypertension with coronary stenosis, neuropathy, left ankle arthritis, right ankle arthritis, left wrist arthritis, left foot arthritis, right foot arthritis, arthritis of the back, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, headaches, and loss of part of the stomach and large intestines.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and hypertension, but granted the claim to reopen for a low back disorder. The veteran's right knee condition was not related to his military service, while new evidence suggested a possible link between his current low back condition and his military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability was denied because there is no current diagnosis of a right knee disability.