Knee decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to verify the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA in the Army National Guard. The issue of service connection for residuals of status post knee replacement will be remanded for readjudication.

For the period before June 22, 2009, the Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease was rated at 20 percent.,From June 22, 2009, the Veteran is entitled to a rating of 30 percent for his right knee instability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his Vocational Rehabilitation folder and a VA examination to assess the combined impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left knee disability and chronic sinusitis, as well as service connection for a respiratory disorder, are being remanded due to the failure to schedule VA examinations. The Veteran reported an accident that prevented him from attending the scheduled exams.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is not related to his active service, and thus denied service connection.

The Board has determined that there is a link between the Veteran's in-service motor vehicle accident and his current bilateral knee strain, which meets the criteria for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the right hand, feet, and knees. The cervical spine condition was not granted as secondary to a low back disability, and the thoracic spine condition was also not granted as secondary to a low back disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further examination is required.

The Veteran does not have qualifying service for a non-service-connected disability pension because he did not meet medical fitness standards and was discharged under U.S. Army Regulation 635-200, which is not considered active military, naval, or air service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right leg condition, including osteoarthritis of the right knee, did not have its onset during service and is not related to an injury or disease in service. As a result, service connection for this condition was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right eye disorder, psychiatric disorder (anxiety), and injuries sustained in a jeep accident are denied as the evidence does not support a finding of service origin.

The evidence does not support the claim that any current bilateral knee disorder is related to service, including basic training and active duty in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee disability and its relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for callouses of the feet, left knee disorder, and cold injury residuals. The Board found that these conditions were not related to active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, varicose veins of the right lower extremity, and right knee degenerative joint disease with effusion do not warrant higher ratings as they do not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of those currently assigned.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person is being remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous VA examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome, patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee, a disorder of the lower extremities (including pes planus), allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis. The claim for right shoulder impingement syndrome is remanded for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's current PVD and amputations were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of cold injuries during service and the amputations occurred years after service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's left knee surgery necessitated a temporary total rating from July 27, 2005 to September 27, 2005.,The Veteran's right knee surgery required a temporary total rating from November 1, 2005 to January 31, 2006.