Knee decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for low back, bilateral shoulder, and left knee disorders. The Veteran's claims are also remanded for proper VCAA notice.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left knee disorders have been denied. The current ratings of 20 percent each are deemed appropriate.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his bilateral knee disability, which he claims is related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hip disability is not service-connected. The RO granted service connection for right and left knee disabilities, but denied the claim for a bilateral hip condition. Initial ratings of 10 percent were assigned for both knees.

The Board has determined that the appellant is in need of regular aid and attendance due to her multiple, severely disabling physical disabilities, including significant visual acuity and field of vision disorders. The evidence supports a finding that she requires assistance with activities such as dressing, basic hygiene, feeding, toileting, bending to tie shoe laces, and walking at night.

The Veteran's right knee disability, following total knee replacement surgery, is not shown to meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer, bilateral elbow disabilities, DJD of hips and knees/ankles, plantar calcaneal spur, low back disability, loss of teeth, and bilateral hearing loss. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has ordered additional development of the Veteran's service treatment records to determine if there are any medical records from his hospitalization following a parachute accident in service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various injuries and conditions, but the appeal will be remanded due to incomplete evidence.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a disability of the lower extremities (other than osteoarthritis of the knees) or a neck disorder, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right knee disabilities do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee strain and left knee strain were denied as there was no evidence of a worsening or increase in severity of the disabilities.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disorder was not incurred or aggravated during service and does not have a direct relationship to his service-connected left knee disorder. The evidence is insufficient to establish continuity of symptomatology after service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including defective vision, left wrist disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and right knee disability. The evidence submitted since the April 2001 rating decision did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of right knee injury and left knee injury. The previous denial was based on a lack of medical evidence showing a chronic condition related to military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a bilateral ankle disorder in service or due to the service-connected knee disabilities, and did not find that the right knee osteoporosis and chondrocalcinosis was manifested by more than slight recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current right knee disability to an in-service injury and that the most probative medical opinion did not support such a link.

The Veteran's bilateral knee strain with right knee arthritis is attributable to service and the Board finds in his favor, granting service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and back disabilities, finding that there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his active duty or to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's service treatment records from his second period of service are missing, which makes it difficult to establish a nexus between current knee disabilities and military service.