Knee decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, atrial fibrillation as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II, and joint pain of bilateral knees are all denied. The Board found no evidence of these conditions during service or within one year after separation, and the presumption of herbicide exposure does not apply.

The Board found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the Veteran's service connection claims for right and left knee disorders, as the previous denials were final due to lack of appeal. The claims remain denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's knee disabilities are not related to his service-connected hepatitis C and denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left knee disorder were denied as there is no current evidence of a disability meeting the criteria for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence showing a current left knee disorder related to service. The Veteran's right knee joint derangement is manifested by painful motion, limited to flexion of no less than 80 degrees and extension of zero degrees, and no more than slight other knee impairment.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for higher initial ratings for left knee and left elbow disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a left knee injury with instability and meniscus removal have been rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available for this condition. The current evidence does not support an increased evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of both legs is being remanded due to inadequate VCAA notice and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is reasonably shown to have had its origins during active duty and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied, with the effective date of his TDIU being August 25, 1999.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right knee disability and left knee disability, claimed as secondary to a right knee disability. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim for right knee disability, and that there was no direct evidence linking the left knee condition to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his military service and have denied all of his claims.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee and low back disabilities, finding that new and material evidence had not been received.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder. The Veteran's previous denial of this claim remains final.

The Veteran's claim to reopen his left knee disability was denied, and the rating for his right clavicle fracture prior to March 10, 2009, remains at 20 percent. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for the scheduling of an examination to assess his left knee disability, and for readjudication based on any additional evidence received.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing due to the appellant's request and because some issues have not yet been certified to the Board.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed bilateral foot disorder, right knee disorder, and low back disorder. The claims will be readjudicated after all development is completed.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeals for all issues except PTSD.