Knee decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for a right knee disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for multi-joint/bone pain is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, verify his Gulf War Service, and schedule a VA examination to determine the etiology of any diagnosed conditions.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, finding no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran's current combined disability rating is 70%, which does not meet the criteria for a TDIU. The Board finds that his service-connected disabilities, standing alone, are not of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left and right knee disorders did not manifest until many years after service and are not shown by the probative evidence of record to be related to his active duty service or a service-connected disorder.

The Board has determined that the reduction of disability evaluations for left and right knee instability was not proper due to procedural deficiencies. The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information regarding his in-service stressors and to ensure all relevant records are associated with the claims file. The case will be reviewed by the RO/AMC on the basis of this additional evidence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disorder and granted it, finding new and material evidence to support the claim. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a left leg injury in March 2009, finding no evidence linking the current disability to service. The Veteran submitted new evidence since then but it did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate his claim.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for joint pain as due to undiagnosed illness is being remanded for additional development, including an examination and review of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right knee sciatic nerve irritation is currently rated as 20 percent disabling, which is the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 8720 for moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve. The Board finds no evidence to support a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by instability and pain, is rated at 60% since May 1, 2009.

The Board has ordered a remand for further development due to inadequate examination reports and unanswered medical questions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed right hip and right knee disorders.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability did not have its clinical onset in service, was not due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability, and is not presumed to be related to service. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was also denied as it was determined to be unrelated to service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his authorized representative.

The Board finds that there is no current evidence of a left or right knee disability, and thus service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for degenerative joint disease of both knees, and thus denied the claim.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn regarding the issue of dental disorder. The Board finds that multiple joint and muscle pain, urethritis, prostatitis, chronic sinusitis, conjunctivitis, dry eye syndrome, night sweats (due to Reiter's syndrome or sarcoidosis), respiratory problems (sarcoidosis), blood in stools/hemorrhoids, and short term memory loss are all part of his service-connected Reiter's syndrome. The Veteran's right heel spur residuals do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. His sarcoidosis does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for back and left knee disabilities, finding that they were not related to the Veteran's active duty service or secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The January 1953 rating decision denied the Veteran's claims for service connection, assigning a 30 percent rating for gunshot wound of the right thigh with neuropathy, sensory only; a 10 percent rating for scar, gunshot wound of the left buttock; and no rating for scar of the left knee. The RO found that there was clear and unmistakable error in not assigning separate evaluations for muscle injuries.