Knee decisions — 2012

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities, including shoulder, hip, knee, and psychiatric conditions. The case has been remanded due to the need to obtain additional evidence from Social Security Administration.

The Board finds that the Veteran currently has a left knee disability related to service, resolving all doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder was denied in June 2003. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim. Her left knee disorder is currently rated at 20 percent, but she has mild instability warranting an additional 10 percent rating.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability and hypertension. However, further development is needed to determine if new evidence supports these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee degenerative joint disease is related to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left heel/calcaneal spur and right heel/calcaneal spur disabilities are each rated at 10 percent, effective the day after separation from service. The Veteran's right knee disability is not rated higher than 10 percent.,No compensable rating for either foot earlier than April 17, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, but the Board found new and material evidence to reopen his low back and bilateral pes planus claims. The issues of increased PTSD and right knee ratings, as well as a temporary total rating due to surgical convalescence, remain unresolved.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is related to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition. The appeal on left knee disability was withdrawn prior to a decision.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed residuals of cold weather injury and right knee injury, finding no evidence of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of all issues.

The Veteran's bilateral knee patellofemoral syndrome has been rated at 10 percent, effective December 2006. The external hemorrhoid is not compensable.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for upper and lower back disorders and bilateral knee disorders are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's right knee disability has been rated at least 10 percent since the grant of service connection, and his bilateral hearing loss is also rated as compensable.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right knee were denied by the Board. The case is being remanded to obtain additional evidence and a new VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral knee disabilities did not manifest during his military service and are not otherwise related to an event or injury in service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's left knee disability clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service, was not aggravated during service, and is not related to his period of active service. The low back disability was also not shown to be related to service. As such, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's hypertension and arthritis of the back, neck, and knees were not granted service connection or increased rating. The issues regarding residuals of shrapnel wounds to the right hand and arm and a chronic respiratory disorder due to herbicide exposure are unknown.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and maintaining all forms of substantially gainful employment, with sedentary forms of employment being possible.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss was denied, and his claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability is pending due to the need for additional development.