Knee decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and clarifying his combat history.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee and left ankle disabilities are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between his in-service injury and his current conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her service-connected degenerative changes of the right knee and laxity of the right knee, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent or 20 percent, respectively.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to evaluate her left knee disability, which may be related to her service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran requested a hearing, but later withdrew his appeal. The Board dismissed the appeal due to this withdrawal.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability. The case is now remanded for further development, including verification of periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.

The Board has granted service connection for avascular necrosis/trochanteric bursitis of the right hip, degenerative osteoarthritis of the right knee, and discogenic changes of the lumbar spine as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5259. The VA examination revealed full range of motion and no instability, warranting a finding that the current rating adequately reflects his symptoms.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claim can be decided, including obtaining service treatment records and VA clinical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to evaluate his left knee disability and consideration of the claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's right knee condition, characterized as residuals of a right medial meniscectomy and total knee replacement, is currently rated at 30 percent disabling. The Board found that the evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of this rating.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability, including degenerative changes, is not shown to be due to an injury or other event of his period of active service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to her failure to report for a scheduled hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after scheduling another in-person hearing at the Nashville RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left foot or left knee disorders, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current left knee, right knee, or back disability that is related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease and there is no competent medical opinion linking any current disabilities to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, prostate cancer, and right knee disability. The rating claim for osteoarthritis and right lumbar area myofasciitis was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for skeletal conditions, including knees, fractured ribs, a scarred lung, hip, and elbow is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his service treatment records from 1996-1997, an appropriate VA examination, and obtaining medical records.

The Board has determined that the appellant's left knee scar was incurred in service, but his current left knee disability (other than a scar) is not causally related to his active service or any incident therein.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran's left knee disability is related to his service-connected right knee disability.