Knee decisions — 2012

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing left knee disability was aggravated by active service.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability, left shoulder disability, and left knee disability as these conditions were not shown to have originated during active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at 20 percent since February 22, 2011. Prior to that date, the condition was rated at 10 percent.

The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's bilateral knee disorder is not related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's right knee disability has not been shown to meet the criteria for a higher rating, and his claim of service connection for osteoarthritis of the left knee is considered 'unknown' due to lack of clarity in the appeal. His TDIU claim remains unclear.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for patellofemoral syndrome of the knees and stress fractures of the feet are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the appropriate ratings for his service-connected back and left knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and an inadequate VA examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and knee disabilities will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbago, a baker's cyst of the right knee, and a right testicular condition were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty or any period of ACDUTRA.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, a neck disability, and hypertension as new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims. The Board also found that there is no medical evidence linking these disabilities to active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted, and his PTSD rating was increased to 100% effective October 7, 2010. His patellofemoral syndrome with chondromalacia of the right knee remains at a 10% rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied the remaining issues on appeal. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records, conduct a contemporaneous VA examination for his bilateral knee disabilities, and readjudicate the claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's right knee disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder (depression) were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of a current disability related to service. The Board also noted that the vertigo claim could not be decided without additional examination.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability, characterized by severe degenerative joint disease and healed patellar fracture residuals, is productive of limited motion with an additional function loss due to pain and following repetitive movement that more nearly approximates flexion restricted to 15 degrees.

Your claim for service connection for residuals of a right femur fracture has been dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection for right hip bursitis. Your claim for service connection for right knee arthritis remains denied.

The Veteran's combined rating for service-connected disabilities is 100%, which meets the criteria for a TDIU rating. The evidence shows that his service-connected conditions have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's TDIU rating was granted effective January 14, 2009. The Board denied an earlier effective date.