Knee decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hip and knee disorders are not related to his service-connected back disability, nor can they be presumed due to military service. The preponderance of evidence is against a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his left knee chondromalacia with osteoarthritis and instability was granted, but the specific rating assigned (10%) is not provided in the decision summary.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left knee disorder, which she claimed was caused by her service-connected residuals of left tibia and fibula fracture. The case is being remanded to obtain updated treatment records and to schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine if any left knee disability is proximately due or aggravated by her service-connected tibia/fibula disability.

The Board has found that the Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease was aggravated by his service-connected right leg disability, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his claimed conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's left knee disability, characterized by relaxation of the lateral collateral ligament and degenerative changes, has not met the criteria for a higher rating than 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine disability and found that it is related to the Veteran's left wrist disability, right shoulder disability, and pulled groin muscle. The rating assigned remains at 20 percent.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease and a psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder, as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability and/or lumbar spine disability. The Board finds that further development is necessary due to incomplete medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing. The claims of entitlement to service connection and a compensable rating are not addressed as the appeal is in process.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis, left knee disability, arthritis of hands and fingers, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss for VA purposes and therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The issue of an initial compensable disability rating for a scar, status post right knee open reduction surgery, and scars from an old healed fracture of the distal right tibia remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for exogenous obesity and left knee patellar tendonitis were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to these conditions, as obesity is not considered a separate condition for which service connection can be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and scheduling VA examinations. The issues of service connection for left hip disorder and right knee disorder as secondary to service-connected low back disorder, and an increased rating for radiculopathy of the right sciatic nerve are being remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a left knee disability, and thus grants the reopening of this claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and left knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee disability is etiologically related to his active service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The VA examiner found that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the knees is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected pes planus, hallux valgus, status post surgical repair, with implant in the first metatarsal joint and degenerative joint disease.

The Board found that the Veteran's back degenerative joint disease is not etiologically related to his military service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder or left hamstring disorder, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied. For his degenerative joint disease of the left knee, while there is no STRs available, VA has a heightened duty to consider the applicability of the benefit of the doubt rule due to missing records. However, without a current diagnosis and insufficient evidence linking the condition to service, service connection cannot be granted.

The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic left knee arthritis and left knee medial instability were rated at 10 percent since April 1, 2008 through November 30, 2009. The ratings have been granted.