Knee decisions — 2012

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his left shoulder and right knee disabilities did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records from a VA facility in Rome, Georgia. The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee disorder will be reconsidered based on these new records.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to the adjudication of these claims due to the need for a VA examination in order to assess the Veteran's claimed conditions and determine their relationship to his service.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis was not productive of flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, extension limited to 15 degrees or more, or by mild subluxation or lateral instability from August 1, 2005.,Between August 1, 2005 and October 17, 2011, the Veteran's left knee disability was not productive of flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, extension limited to 15 degrees or more, or by mild subluxation or lateral instability.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability, to include patellofemoral dysfunction, is related to service and grants service connection for this condition. The bilateral ankle disability and thoracic spine disability are not currently addressed as they were not characterized in the original decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records from private facilities and potential examination at his prison facility.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of her service-connected right knee disability and nasal varix with recurrent nose bleeds.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were denied as there was no pending claim prior to January 28, 2007.

The Veteran's right knee degenerative disease with locking and crepitus has been manifested by pain, tenderness, weakness, crepitus, guarding of movement, some limitation of flexion but with flexion greater than 30 degrees. The Board finds that the disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining outstanding treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for payment of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Baylor Regional Medical Center in Grapevine, Texas on May 4, 2010 and June 1, 2010 due to lack of prior authorization from VA.,Both emergency room visits were deemed not related to an emergent situation.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability, and thus new and material evidence has not been received.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the current nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee disorder. The Veteran is required to report for any scheduled examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, may not be presumed to have been incurred in service, and is not proximately etiologically related to, or aggravated by, any service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back and bilateral knee disabilities are not service-connected, as there was no evidence of chronic symptoms or injury during service. The disabilities were also not shown to be caused by a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to determine the nature, extent, onset and etiology of any right knee, left knee, right hip, and/or left hip disability found to be present.

The Board denied increased ratings for chondromalacia of the right patella with thigh atrophy and left knee strain, but granted a separate 10 percent rating for left knee arthritis. The TDIU claim was also denied.