Knee decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of left and right knee strains have been granted by a December 2011 rating decision.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder, finding no evidence of such condition during or after service. The Veteran's right knee disability was granted an increased rating to 20% prior to March 29, 2006, but the claim for a higher rating from that date forward remains denied.,The Board found that the Veteran's severe left knee tricompartmental disease is not related to her service-connected right knee disability.

The Board granted service connection for a left knee disability and increased the rating for residuals of gunshot wounds to the right shoulder. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities was also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder, knee, hip, ankle, and foot disabilities are related to his active service. The skin disability including skin cancer is not presumed or directly linked to his active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the appellant and inadequate VA examinations. The issues of service connection for hip and knee disorders, as well as a rating in excess of 10 percent for plantar warts, hyperhidrosis, and periungual warts are now before the RO.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by or a result of his service-connected disabilities, including postoperative meniscectomy, right knee osteoarthritis and severe left knee degenerative joint disease. The underlying cause of death, congestive heart failure (with ASHD as the primary condition), is attributed to multiple risk factors rather than the Veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his service-connected tibiofemoral joint right knee arthritis and associated instability is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and a cervical spine disorder, as well as his secondary service connection claims for bilateral knee disorders. The decision also addressed issues related to reopening of previously denied claims.

The Board has determined that there is no competent evidence of record linking the Veteran's right or left knee disabilities to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting right knee disability existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and incorporating missing records into the claims file.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of residuals of pulmonary sequestrations, gout of the right wrist, knees, and right ankle, and anemia have been denied. The RO assigned staged ratings based on the severity of each condition.,For the period from September 27, 2002 to April 17, 2003, the Veteran's residuals of pulmonary sequestrations were evaluated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service disease or injury, nor was there continuity of symptoms after service.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right knee instability and arthritis have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and readjudication due to non-compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him totally unemployable, as he is capable of performing sedentary employment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and VA outpatient treatment records. The Veteran's claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of the bilateral knees and an acquired psychiatric disorder will be reconsidered based on this new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral knee disorders are granted as secondary to his service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's left knee disability has been rated at 10 percent for aching pain, stiffness, tightness, swelling, and painful motion. Despite these symptoms, the Veteran retains full or nearly full range of motion with no additional limitation during flare-ups or after repetitive use.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, heart palpitations, and diarrhea as the evidence did not show a link to service.,Service connection was not granted because there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to service.