Knee decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee disability was not present during service or for many years thereafter, and was not caused by any incident of service. Therefore, it denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ankle sprain residuals are due to an injury sustained during his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right knee disability was rated based on the severity of his symptoms and functional impairment. The rating for chondromalacia was granted, but not in excess of 10 percent. For instability, a higher rating was denied. Since June 1, 2010, when he underwent total knee replacement, he is entitled to a 30 percent disability rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral knee and right shoulder disorders secondary to service-connected lumbar spine degenerative joint disease due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including his total knee replacement and degenerative joint disease, does not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 30 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for post-operative residuals of a left elbow injury. The Veteran's hypertension and left knee disability are not considered to be related to his active duty service.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have tendonitis of the shoulders, right wrist, knees, and ankles during service or within one year after separation. The current diagnoses are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to his service-connected disabilities, including evaluations for various joint conditions and a request for TDIU. The case is being remanded due to the Veteran requesting a personal appearance before the Board.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 30% evaluation for internal derangement of the right knee with chondromalacia of the patella has been granted, while his reduction to noncompensable (0%) rating is denied. The decision reflects that the October 2008 examination was not as full and complete as the April 1999 examination on which the initial 20% rating was based.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 10, 1998, for compensable ratings for instability associated with bilateral knee disabilities was denied as there is no evidence showing moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability for the right knee and slight recurrent subluxation or lateral instability for the left knee prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed back, right knee, left knee, right hand, right shoulder, and left shoulder disorders were not incurred or aggravated during service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee internal derangement and osteoarthropathy have been evaluated at 20 percent since November 4, 2003. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating during this period.

The Veteran's right knee disability, post-total arthroplasty, is currently rated at 60 percent from August 19, 2010. Prior to this date, the rating was 30 percent.

The Veteran's right knee instability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective February 24, 2009. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a higher rating for his degenerative joint disease.

The Board denied service connection for low back pain, bilateral knee disability, and thyroid disease. The claims were not supported by evidence showing a direct link to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disorder is not related to his service-connected left knee disability and denied the claim.

The Board found no evidence to support a service connection claim for degenerative joint disease of the knees, as the preponderance of the evidence did not show that it was related to service.

The Veteran's right knee disability was found to not meet the criteria for a higher rating from January 31, 2006, to January 19, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an orthopedic examination to determine the nature and etiology of any knee disorder found to be present.