Knee decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee, right knee, and lumbar spine disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during or within one year after service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board found no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current left knee disorder to his military service, including any in-service injury related to parachute jumping. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the appellant's bilateral knee disability did not manifest in service or for many years thereafter, and is unrelated to service. The claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability is denied.

The Board has determined that another VA examination is needed to determine the nature, extent and etiology of any right hip disorder or multiple joint arthritis currently present. The Veteran's claim for service connection will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to allow for further examination and consideration of his PTSD, acquired psychiatric disorder, right knee disability, memory loss, muscle spasm, and joint pain. The examiner will assess whether these conditions are related to his military service, particularly his service in the Persian Gulf.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of basal cell cancer and assigned a grant disposition to the issues regarding initial ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left knee with chondritis and right knee with chondritis.

Service connection for arthritis, claimed as joint pain of the hands, feet, and knees has been reopened. The Veteran's current diagnosed disability is not a qualifying chronic disability.,Service connection for migraines has been reopened. The Veteran's current diagnosed migraine disability is not a qualifying chronic disability.,Service connection for prostatitis (claimed as testicular pain) has been reopened. The Veteran's current diagnosed benign prostatic hypertrophy is not a qualifying chronic disability.,Service connection for dermatitis, urticaria, and shingles has been denied on the merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not properly adjudicated and requires additional development, including obtaining a supplemental opinion from the examiner regarding erectile dysfunction and a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA clinical records and scheduling an examination to address the etiology of any current bilateral knee and shoulder disorders.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right elbow disability, pharyngitis, low back disability, left shoulder disability, and right knee disability. The Veteran's claims for hypertension (secondary to sleep apnea), right foot disorder, and bowel and bladder impairment were also denied.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for his left knee disability was granted prior to February 27, 2007. A separate rating of 10 percent has been assigned since that date. Service connection for residuals of head trauma is denied.

The Board has restored service connection for right knee arthritis and assigned a 10% rating, effective January 31, 2003. The Veteran disagrees with this decision and wishes to appeal the issue.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left knee disability was granted, and he is currently rated at 30 percent. For the ankle disability, he received an increased rating to 30 percent effective June 17, 2010.

The Veteran was granted service connection for Pellegrini-Stieda of the left knee and Osgood-Schlatter's disease of the right knee with an initial rating of 10% effective February 4, 2008. The effective dates were assigned based on receipt of his reopened claims.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have any current bilateral foot, ankle, knee or hip disorders and that these conditions are less likely than not related to his period of service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability, post-operative residuals of a right anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscal repair with degenerative joint disease, has not been productive of any limitation of extension or flexion to the extent that would warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent from May 25, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing nexus opinions on service connection claims.

The Veteran's gastrointestinal disability is related to his service-connected arthritis, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The other issues remain pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of her low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities.