Knee decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD and a bilateral knee disability, as well as his claim for increased rating for low back disability have all been denied.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and Social Security Administration records, scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations related to his service-connected patellofemoral arthritis of the right knee, bilateral hip disorder, and low back disorder, and scheduling him for a joint examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent, as his range of motion is within normal limits and he does not have any additional functional loss due to pain, weakness, fatigue, or lack of endurance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied as there was no earlier formal or informal claim for the conditions listed.,An effective date of January 16, 1951 is granted for service connection for headaches.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left knee and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and the retrieval of relevant treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and requests for additional information from various sources. The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities are pending.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated at 10% and his left knee disability is not yet rated. The RO needs to secure updated medical records, arrange for an orthopedic examination, and determine the appropriate rating based on current evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral foot and knee disorders, finding no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for chest pain, bipolar affective disorder, and right knee disability. The appeals were also denied on reopening claims as new and material evidence was not received.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ankle and right knee disabilities did not manifest during or as a result of active military service, nor were they caused by or permanently aggravated by his service-connected neuritis of the saphenous nerve of the right lower extremity. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee disorders, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for additional disability of the right knee due to VA treatment was also denied.

The Board found that osteoarthritis of the right knee, status post arthroplasty, and degenerative joint disease of the left knee were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's service connection claims for breathing problems and bilateral ankle and knee pain (claimed as arthritis) due to his failure to report for VA examinations scheduled in compliance with the December 2009 remand instructions.,There is no evidence of a current disability, nor any link between the claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and consideration of the new evidence received.

The Board dismissed the appeal to reopen a service connection claim for a left knee disorder due to the Veteran's withdrawal request. The RO is remanding the issues of entitlement to effective dates prior to August 28, 2009, for the grants of service connection for moderate right knee instability and right knee posttraumatic arthritis.

The Veteran's right knee disorder was initially rated as noncompensable from August 23, 2003 to April 7, 2009. From April 8, 2009 onwards, the disability rating for his right knee disorder was increased to 10 percent. For the left knee disorders, a 10 percent rating was granted effective from August 23, 2003 and later increased ratings were assigned based on specific periods of time.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability, including any limitations due to pain and weakness.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have begun during service and has continued since then. The Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected disabilities are of sufficient severity to prevent her from engaging in and retaining substantially gainful employment, thus granting TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and scheduling a new examination to assess the current nature and severity of his service-connected right knee disability.