Knee decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a VA examination to determine if his current right knee and right shoulder disabilities are related to service. The Veteran contends that he sustained injuries during basic training, but the service treatment records were lost.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied his claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus is granted as it is presumed related to his exposure to herbicides in Thailand. The claims for right knee and right hip disorders are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various issues related to his service-connected disabilities, including right knee disability and radiculopathy of the lower extremities. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee osteoarthritis is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim of service connection for a left knee disability and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The Board also finds that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his active service.

The Board has denied the appellant's claim for recognition as a helpless child due to her not being permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining the age of 18 years, based on evidence showing she was able to work and obtain an associate's degree.

The Veteran's claim for reopening the post-polio syndrome (previously characterized as poliomyelitis) was reopened due to new evidence being submitted. However, his claims for bilateral knee and hip disabilities were denied as they are not related to service or a service-connected disability.,Bilateral knee and hip disabilities have not been shown by competent clinical or lay evidence to be causally related to the Veteran's active service, nor causally related to, or aggravated by, a service-connected disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions are not related to service and were not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, leg, and low back disabilities due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The issues include reopening his claim of service connection for sterility and various other conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the RO.

The Veteran's actinic keratoses are rated at a 30 percent rating, effective from April 2006. The Board finds that the evidence warrants this uniform rating for the entire appeal period.

The Veteran's right fourth finger DJD is rated at 10 percent, effective from the date of the decision. The claims for service connection for arthritis of the left hip, right knee, and left knee were denied as new and material evidence was not received.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new examination to assess the current severity of his right knee disability and whether there are any restrictions due to pain or use. The case will be returned to the Board for further review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral pes planus and left knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is service-connected, but further development is needed to address his right knee disorder claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability and whether it aggravated any gout. The TTR claim will also be addressed.

The Veteran's current right knee, left knee, and lumbar spine disabilities were not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his lumbar spine disability, left knee disability, tension headaches status post traumatic brain injury, gastrointestinal disability (GERD), and left wrist disability.