Knee decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the August 27, 1959 rating decision severing service connection for right knee medial meniscectomy residuals was clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The Veteran's chronic left knee arthritis is now considered to be directly related to his service-connected right knee medial meniscectomy residuals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus and a right knee disorder due to new evidence presented by the Veteran.

The Veteran's right knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current left knee disorder is not related to his military service and thus, denies the claim for service connection. For the initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a left ankle disability, the preponderance of evidence does not support an increased rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC based on aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for any claimed conditions, including TBI, cervical spine/neck disability, bilateral knee and shoulder disabilities. The Veteran's reported symptoms were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board denied an increased rating for the service-connected residuals of a right knee contusion based on lateral instability or recurrent subluxation, finding that there was no evidence of more than slight recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected left knee disability is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has ordered additional development of the appellant's case, including obtaining his service personnel records and private medical records. The case will be remanded for further review after these records are obtained.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing at the Denver, Colorado RO.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected left knee osteoarthritis with medial joint space narrowing, currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient development of evidence, particularly regarding his service connection and rating for left knee disabilities. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Veteran does not have a current bilateral knee or right ankle disorder, and the VA examiner found no connection between her service-connected right hip disorder and these conditions. The low back disorder was diagnosed as mild scoliosis of the lumbar spine, which is considered a congenital defect.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disability is not etiologically related to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right ankle, and thus denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left hip degenerative joint disease, which required a total hip arthroplasty, is proximately due to his service-connected right knee disorder.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his left knee disability was denied as the evidence did not show that he met the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to February 1, 2005, and 30 percent from April 1, 2006.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disabilities and entitlement to TDIU were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment of a sedentary nature.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for clarification of the Veteran's service connection claims, particularly regarding his back disorder and its relationship to a pre-existing scoliosis.