Knee decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the appellant requesting withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a right knee disorder, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected left knee disorder. The Board has determined that further development is needed in order to determine the nature and likely etiology of any right knee disorder.

The Board found no evidence of a left knee disorder during service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and left knee disorders.,However, the preponderance of the evidence does not show a link between the current bilateral knee disorders and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her service-connected left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development of records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear for a scheduled hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after scheduling a new hearing.

The Board is remanding the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee arthritis due to outstanding records from Fort Belvoir and Walter Reed Army hospitals from 1985 and 1986. The RO must obtain these records, notify the Veteran of their unavailability if necessary, and provide an opportunity for the Veteran to submit any additional evidence.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status is being remanded due to incomplete VCAA notice, missing VA treatment records, and a lack of comprehensive rating examination.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is not rated higher than 40 percent, and his left knee instability warrants a separate 10 percent rating. The claims for increased ratings of the left ankle and hip disabilities are denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left knee chondromalacia was not rated higher than 10 percent, the bilateral hip disability and low back disability were not found to be related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and provide the Veteran with another opportunity for a VA examination related to his left knee disorder and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral knee pain, resulting in patellofemoral syndrome, began during service and is considered a direct result of his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran and outstanding service records. The claims for service connection for left hip and right knee disabilities are pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's lumbar strain, patella pain syndrome of both knees, and cervical spine disorder are all related to her service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right knee disability, and the case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Board has determined that there was clear and unmistakable error in the August 1988 rating decision which denied service connection for a right knee disorder. The effective date of June 23, 1988 is assigned as it was then when the Veteran submitted her original claim.

The Board has determined that further examination and medical opinion are needed to resolve the claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, bilateral knee disability, and low back disability. The Veteran's current conditions may be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for right knee scars was denied. The VA examiner found the scars to be well-healed and not deep or causing limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination.