Knee decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, PTSD, two facial scars, left and right knee conditions, and neuropathy of the upper extremities, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that his TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability is related to his service-connected right and left foot disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition as secondary.

The Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected left knee disabilities, which are rated at 50% and result in unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in rating for residuals of left knee arthroscopy with arthritis or a separate evaluation for synovitis, right knee.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a left leg disorder and a higher rating for his right knee degenerative arthritis were both denied by the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip, left hip (previously total hip replacement), and lumbar spine disabilities are related to his military service. The left knee disability is also found to be related to service. Left IT band syndrome is considered proximately due to or the result of a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected low back strain with scoliosis, left knee disability, and major depression.

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

The Board has granted service connection for low back and bilateral knee disabilities as secondary to service-connected pes planus, and has awarded initial noncompensable ratings for right and left ankle sprains. The Veteran's claims are now granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral strain, right knee arthritis, and chronic elbow bursitis, do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected left knee injury with degenerative joint disease and right ankle fracture, finding that the schedular criteria adequately described his disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and low back disabilities, as well as the claim for a TDIU were denied by the RO. The Board has remanded these matters to allow for further development.

The Veteran does not have arthritis of the hips, knees, ankles, or hands.,Service connection for these conditions is denied as there is no current disability and no evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus with mild diabetic retinopathy and erectile dysfunction was denied as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7913.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder, low back disorder, and allergic rhinitis are all service-connected. The nasal fractures leading to current residuals of a deviated septum and hearing loss of the left ear were also found to be aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a thoracolumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, anal fissure, bilateral knee disorder, or bilateral wrist disorder. Therefore, the Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's right knee instability and limitation of extension are rated at 30 percent, but the Board denied entitlement to increased ratings prior to September 21, 2010 and subsequent to that date.

The Veteran's left knee disability, status post left knee replacement surgery, has been rated at 30 percent since November 1, 2006. The RO denied a higher rating for this condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that none of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.