Knee decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and conducting a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current right knee disability is related to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee, left knee, and low back disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected foot disorder is related to his bilateral knee disorders, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical examinations and opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions, as well as for further development.

The Board finds that there is no direct service connection for the Veteran's right knee and right leg conditions. The claim for secondary service connection to his left knee condition was not granted, as there is insufficient evidence linking these conditions directly to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbar strain, left knee chondromalacia, and right knee chondromalacia as they do not meet the criteria under the applicable rating schedule.

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

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher evaluation as his range of motion and functional limitations do not warrant an increased rating.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee and lymphedema of both lower extremities have been denied as there is no evidence of persistent edema, which would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative changes of the left knee is being remanded due to incomplete verification of his periods of active duty and inactive duty training, as well as the need for a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for frostbite of the feet and legs with arthritis, swelling, and weakness of the feet and knees, left shoulder arthritis, left hip arthritis, and right hip arthritis. The decision also found that PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has determined a 30 percent evaluation is appropriate for the Veteran's left knee disability as of September 24, 2002.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for additional examination. The Veteran's claim of reopening his left knee disability service connection is pending.

The Board has remanded the case for another VA medical examination to assess the current nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee disorder, including whether it is secondary to his service-connected left knee disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting a VA joints examination to evaluate the current nature of the Veteran's right knee disability. The claim will be reviewed again after these steps are completed.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran's right ankle or right knee disabilities pre-existed his military service. The preponderance of the competent and credible evidence is against finding any current right ankle or right knee disability was related to a disease or injury in service.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, effective from August 1, 2008. The rating has been granted based on limitation of motion.

The Veteran's overall disability rating is 80 percent, meeting the schedular standards for consideration of a TDIU. However, he does not meet the requirement of being unable to secure or follow substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities as he has been employed in managerial positions since at least November 1998 and can still perform some work duties despite his disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left knee degenerative joint diseases are service-connected, as his in-service injury is accepted and there is continuity of symptoms since service.