Knee decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disorder and left knee disorder are not related to his military service.,Both conditions were first diagnosed several years after service, and there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, hip, and back disorders based on new evidence. The underlying claim will be reviewed de novo.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a right knee disability. The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and review, including obtaining additional VA medical records and a VA examination to address the Veteran's left knee disorder. The issue of service connection for cracked #9 tooth is also referred back to the RO for issuance of an SOC.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee and low back disabilities, but additional development is needed to address the merits of these claims.

The Veteran's heart disease, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left knee disability, and left hip disability are not service-connected as they were either not incurred or aggravated by service or due to a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee disability is not related to his active military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his left knee and foot disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him incapable of obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, lumbar spondylosis, right and left knee disabilities, tinnitus, arthritis of the shoulders and hands, a skin disability involving the toenails and feet, residuals of a fracture of the left middle finger, an eye condition, a sinus condition, bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction have all been granted. The initial evaluation for type II diabetes mellitus is 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome is currently rated at 10 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating as his symptoms do not warrant more than this level of disability.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including a VA examination to assess his right knee and hip conditions, as well as an opinion regarding the etiology of his hepatitis C and diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining relevant Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical examinations and opinions regarding the Veteran's right knee disability and left knee surgery with chondromalacia of the patella, as well as to address whether the January 2005 rating decision constituted an improper reduction in his service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran seeks service connection for right knee arthritis, which he contends is related to a right knee injury sustained in service. The VA examiner found that the current severe osteoarthritis of the right knee is less likely as not related to his one account of right knee sprain while in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, as a non-service connected disability causes his employment limitations.

The VA has granted service connection for right knee chondromalacia and assigned a 10 percent disability rating, effective from December 1, 2003. The current evaluation is based on the Veteran's symptoms of pain and limitation of flexion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disabilities do not warrant a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees were denied as there was no evidence showing that his symptoms warranted a higher rating.