Knee decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left knee is being remanded due to incomplete records and need for additional examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee arthritis is as likely as not due to an injury sustained during his military service.

The Board has found that traumatic arthritis of the right foot, status post motor vehicle accident, did not pre-exist service and was not aggravated by service. Therefore, it is not presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's right knee disability, including instability and limitation of flexion, was granted an increased evaluation to 10 percent. A separate 10 percent evaluation for a tender/painful surgical scar was also granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the previously denied claims for service connection of right knee disorder, back disorder, left knee disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder. The claim for increased rating for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee and leg disabilities, including arthritis and DVT of the legs, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence did not support a connection between his military service and these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and SSA records, and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate his claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the right knee was manifested by subjective symptoms and objective evidence, but did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating prior to April 26, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and left knee disorders, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disease in service or at any point after service. The current conditions were not related to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claims of falls due to service-connected low back disability are not credible and there is no indication, evidence or contention that her left knee disability began during service, is related to any incident of service, or apart from her claimed post-service falls, is otherwise caused by her service-connected right knee and low back disabilities. Therefore, the claim for service connection for left knee disability is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right knee arthritis as secondary to his service-connected right foot disability, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship between the two conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is causally related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and has reopened the Veteran's claims for left knee disorder. A VA examination is required to determine if a current left knee disorder is related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for her service-connected right knee arthritis, right knee instability, and left knee arthritis.

The Board denied service connection for a right elbow disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability due to lack of medical evidence linking the current right elbow condition to his service-connected left knee.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed fifth and eighth rib fracture residuals were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of current disability, nor is there credible evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities have been rated at 40 percent each since July 1, 1993. The RO has now reduced these ratings to 10 percent effective December 1, 2006.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee and ankle disorders, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active military service. The effective date is not applicable in this case.

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable evaluations for bilateral pterygia, right ankle fracture, and postoperative residuals of a left knee injury were denied. The conditions are currently rated as noncompensable under the applicable diagnostic codes.