Knee decisions — 2013

The Veteran's right knee disability is manifested by a range of motion limited to no worse than 120 degrees flexion and 0 degrees extension, with x-ray evidence of arthritis. The Board finds that the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent have not been met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected chondromalacia of the right and left knees.

The Veteran is service-connected for multiple conditions, including Type II diabetes mellitus and related disabilities. The Board finds that the Veteran's loss of use of both lower extremities due to his service-connected disabilities warrants specially adapted housing benefits.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor is it proximately caused by a service-connected condition.

The Board determined that the Veteran's arthritis of the hips, knees, and ankles was not incurred in service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Veteran's left knee surgery in March 2009 was not related to his service-connected bilateral knee impairment, and the Board denied entitlement to a temporary total evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating of his left knee disability due to procedural deficiencies, lack of proper adjudication of a previously denied claim for service connection, and need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Veteran's right knee disability, specifically chondromalacia and dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board denied the claim for an increased rating.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were caused or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder and right knee disorder were not incurred or aggravated in service, nor are they related to his service-connected left knee disorder. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected low back and right and left knee disabilities, as well as obtaining any relevant private treatment records.

The Board has found that the Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome and right thumb arthritis are related to service. The remaining issues of entitlement to service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, left hip disorder, right knee disability, and left foot disorder (plantar fasciitis) are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to address the existence and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination(s) and determine whether the Veteran, based on his work history, level of education, and service-connected disabilities, but not his age or any nonservice-connected disability, is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination of the Veteran's left knee disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for paranoid schizophrenia, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder. The denial is based on the conclusion that these conditions did not exist prior to military service or were not permanently worsened beyond their natural progression during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining relevant medical records.

The Veteran's right knee disability is manifested by pain and painful motion, but the Board finds that a higher evaluation in excess of 10 percent is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic sleep disorder, initial compensable rating for left knee disability, initial rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine disability, and initial compensable rating for bursitis in the left shoulder were denied. The claim for headaches was partially granted with a 10% rating prior to April 13, 2012, and a 30% rating from that date onward.