Knee decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development and adjudication of his service connection claims, including those related to kidney stones. The Social Security Administration records are also requested as they may impact his TDIU claim.

The Veteran's arthritis of both knees was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board finds no relationship between the current knee disabilities and his military service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a left knee disability and granted it. The Veteran's current left knee disability is found to be related to his service-connected right knee disability, which qualifies as secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and low back disability due to the need for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's right knee conditions, including meniscectomy and ligament reconstruction, were granted an increased rating of 10 percent. The arthritis was also granted a separate evaluation for instability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new examination to assess the severity of his left knee disabilities and issuance of a statement of the case on the issue of an initial disability rating greater than 10 percent for his service-connected left knee instability.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a left knee disability during service and denied the claim as residuals of a left knee contusion to include arthritis.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including arthritis, was not incurred in service and is denied. The left knee disability, also including arthritis, was also not incurred in service and is denied.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability has been established.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability has been rated at least a combined 20 percent rating (based on limitation of motion and instability), effective from the date of this decision.

The Board has determined that further development of the evidence is required before the claims can be adjudicated. The appeal is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC), in Washington, DC.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of additional medical records from Kaiser Permanente.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding no current disabilities and insufficient evidence to establish a link between in-service events and his current health issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability existed prior to his period of active duty for training and was aggravated beyond its natural progression by this service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that there was no evidence of ankylosis, limitation of flexion or extension to the extent required for a higher evaluation. The appellant's left knee disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and other pertinent information.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a contemporaneous VA examination of his left knee condition.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent for limitation of flexion, and a separate 10 percent rating is granted for limitation of extension. The sinus disorder does not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee DJD is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating of 20 percent for limitation of flexion and a separate 10 percent for limitation of extension is warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability was incurred in active service and grants the claim for service connection.