Knee decisions — 2010

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by arthritis and limited range of motion, does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on instability. The current 20 percent rating remains appropriate.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and post-operative residuals of left femur fracture with shortening of the left leg and left knee arthritis have been granted increased ratings.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current arthritis of the left knee is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss are not service-connected, as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back condition and a bilateral knee disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for a low back condition and denying service connection for a bilateral knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of rheumatic fever, to include rheumatic heart disease, and bilateral knee disability. The Board found that any current disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's right knee disability, characterized by limitation of flexion and extension with some pain but no instability or subluxation, does not meet the criteria for a higher initial evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his right and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations were denied. The Board found no evidence of a right hand disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or gastrointestinal disability due to service. Service connection was also not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as they are not shown to be related to his active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disorders. The effective date of this decision is not specified, but it is presumed to be from the date of receipt of the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA psychiatric examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder, an appropriate VA examination to determine the current nature and likely etiology of a back disability, and consideration of the June 2010 VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is for a higher initial rating of his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left knee. The Board has determined that he needs to be reexamined due to the age of available evidence and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability, characterized by arthritis with limitation of motion and no instability or subluxation, does not warrant a higher initial rating than the current 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims are not ready for final decision and has ordered additional development to be completed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for stress edema of the feet, bilateral hip disorder, and bilateral knee disorder were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his bilateral knee disabilities and gout, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine and knee disabilities, as the previous November 2007 examinations are considered inadequate.

The Veteran's left knee disability is service-connected, and the Board has found that his right knee, left foot, right foot, left hip, and low back disabilities are also related to his service-connected left knee disability. The appeal for these additional conditions is granted.

The Board is remanding the claims for higher ratings for left knee disability, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, recurrent ear infections, right ankle disability, and hypertension. The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity was improperly severed from service connection, and his claims for bilateral hearing loss and increased rating for headaches were not timely appealed.